Fire Emblem: Dark Ages
by Jiro Uchiha
Summary: For his entire life, Cetanu couldn't emote or express himself the way he wanted. He wondered why constantly. He couldn't share the anger, sadness and joy he felt as he grew up amongst his Father's mercenaries. It was as if his body was a locked chest, and he needed to find the key. He searched to no avail, but perhaps with his new job, one he never expected to have, he'd find it.
1. Malachi 3:2

"Hey, wake up. it's time to move out." he heard, his eyes fluttering open from their temporary respite. He made a lone grunt, a symbol that he acknowledged the command and was carrying out the order. He shook his head, scratching it absentmindedly before exhaling. His eyes, an empty blue gray color, looked to the man who had woken him, his larger figure, black armor and orange furred shirt unmistakable. "You had that dream again, didn't you Cetanu?" he asked, and he nodded, his eyes seeming to focus on nothing in particular.

"About a war. It was fascinating." he said, and the older man chuckled. "Why is that? Was there something that interested you?" he asked, and Cetanu stared blankly, as if pondering. "A woman. Some of the weapons were interesting, but a woman with bright green hair and beautiful eyes. Something about her captivates me. It's a familiar feeling." he said, and the man looked to the younger male, sighing. "You only get so passionate about a few things, and that dream is one of them." he said, and Cetanu blankly hummed. "I wonder why that is. Is my face really not showing how I feel, Father?" he asked, and his father, a battle worn mercenary named Jeralt Eisner, sighed.

Before he could respond however, a mercenary entered the tent in haste. "Sir, I apologize for interrupting, but there's something that needs your attention." he said, and Jeralt looked to Cetanu. The stone faced mercenary grabbed his sword and followed his father from the tent.

When they exited the tent, they were met with an interesting sight. Cetanu saw three young adults, each wearing a similar uniform with varying colored garbs.

In the center, with the broadest shoulders and the most respectful air, was a tall young man with blond hair. Cetanu thought he was rather handsome, and his eyes traveled the other male's body, subconsciously gauging his physical ability should he prove to be an enemy. "Forgive us for interrupting you, but we require your aid. We were separated from the rest of our camp and came under attack from a group of bandits." he said, and Cetanu couldn't help but notice the bright blues he wore on his garb.

Jeralt looked to Cetanu, and the black garbed mercenary stepped forward. To the right of the blonde boy was a bronze skinned male with an obvious air of deception about him. Even without much contact with normal people besides his fellow mercenaries, he could tell that this one, garbed in bright yellow, was clearly the most intelligent, if only for the aura of deception that cloaked him almost like a shield.

"You kids are from the Officers Academy, aren't you?" Jeralt asked, and they all nodded. The lone female, a beautiful young woman with lavender eyes, and an air of superiority about her, smiled ever so slightly. "Yes. Unfortunately, despite our talents, we were far too outnumbered and untrained to deal with a rabid band of hooligans." she said, and the bronze skinned boy nodded. "They're after our necks and our gold." he said, and Jeralt looked to Cetanu.

Another mercenary ran up to them, seeming slightly nervous. "Captain Jeralt! There's a shit ton of bandits coming. I can't tell how many but there's enough to match us at least." he said, and Cetanu frowned ever so slightly. "Twenty five at the least? Damn. Pack up camp, I'll head out myself." he said, and the mercenary nodded.

"Alone? With all due respect sir, a lone mercenary against two dozen bandits seems like a suicide mission." the blonde one said, and Jeralt chuckled, walking over to his horse and sighing. He looked to Cetanu, who silently nodded, beginning to walk silently in the direction of the bandits.

He looked to the three students, who he assumed were all nobles of some form. As Jeralt's horse began to neigh, Cetanu inhaled deeply, his mind beginning to shift into a combat state. "Come." he said, his voice coming out as a near god like decree. The three looked amongst each other and immediately followed, murmuring amongst themselves.

Slightly ahead of the younger trio, Jeralt looked to Cetanu. "What do you want to do about those three?" he asked, and Cetanu glanced back to them, his stoic face and empty eyes merely staring forward. "They fight. If they fall, it will not be in vain." he said, and Jeralt narrowed his eyes. "They look like nobles. If two of them survive, they will bring their entire houses down on us." he said, and Cetanu looked to his father, and on this rare occasion, he could see the most dim sparkle of emotion in his son's eyes.

It was a gleeful emotion, masked well by his son's ever so unmoving features. Jeralt sighed, looking ahead and seeing the first of the bandits lazily searching for the three missing students. "Whatever you do, not in front of the brats." he said, and Cetanu looked to his father, nodding. "Understood."

When they came upon the bandits, Jeralt and Cetanu began to watch them, the three students coming upon them and looking to the group. "There's twenty three of them. I'm sure the others, if any, are farther out." Jeralt said, and the three students had caught up to them.

The bronze skinned boy whistled. "That's a lot of them. Are we waiting for the rest of your guys or going around them?" he asked, and Jeralt looked down to the boy. "Cetanu. How long should this last?" he asked, and the blank faced male tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Without the three of them? An hour at most. With their assistance, provided that they are at least decently trained, thirty minutes at most." he explained. "You can't be serious." the girl said, and Cetanu stared blankly.

"Cover me with random fire." Cetanu said to the bronze skinned boy, who blinked. "How could you tell I'm an archer?" he asked, and Cetanu sighed, drawing his sword and rolling his shoulders.

"You have no scars or bruises. Either you're an archer, a healer, a mage, or a coward." he said, moving forward first. He bolted forward, towards the right, the three students following after him, the yellow garbed boy shooting iron tipped arrows at the bandits, scattering them and confusing the group to the right.

Cetanu was fully aware that the bandits to the eastern side of the area would be easily dispatched by his father. However, even though this side only held seven bandits, Cetanu's primary desire was to test the students that he was around. He saw that the blond boy has a lance on him, and the girl wielded an axe, his focus on their appearance and physical attributes causing him to miss their weapons, which agitated him ever so slightly.

"You pompous fucks!" one of the bandits shouted, running directly at him. "Jab!" he shouted, swinging his blade low and chopping the thigh of the bandit before ducking down and flipping the man over his shoulders. The blond boy seemed to respond to Cetanu's command, jabbing forward and striking the airborne bandit in the back of the throat. He removed the lance, looking up at the black garbed man, who moved like a villainous shadow as he chopped down two of the bandits with little effort.

Cetanu parried swords with one of the bandits, jabbing his left leg out and dislocating the man's kneecap. He struck the sword from his foe's hands. He slashed the man's chest and grabbed him by the throat. "Chop!" he shouted, chucking the man at the girl, who came down swiftly, her axe catching the man in the collar bone, his body collapsing to the ground. "This guy is insane." the yellow garbed student said, and the blonde male nodded. "He's something else." he said, watching Cetanu dispose two more of the bandits, his blank face not betraying any sense of humanity.

"Hey you blank faced shit! Why don't you try someone your own size!" they all heard, a larger bandit, obviously the leader, standing with a pair of axes in his hands. His large forehead was an obvious target for Cetanu, who inhaled. "Why are you protecting those little shits!? They paying you or something?" he growled out, and Cetanu watched his opponent closely.

"The Mercenaries of Jeralt Eisner don't stand for scum like you." he said, and the man hesitated, his grip tightening on his axes ever so slightly. "Jeralt Eisner? Y-you mean Jeralt the Blade Breaker!?" he said, and the man shook his shaggy head. "You're bullshittin' me. You're just some fancy merc who gets lucky! After I'm finished with you I'll take out those little brats behind you!" he said, and Cetanu remained akin to a statue, a guard dog poised and ready to explode at any second. The man narrowed his eyes and growled, crouching down, obviously about to surge forward. "And if I'm not satisfied after those brats, maybe I'll look up your mother." he said, running forward with both axes abroad.

The bronze skinned boy launched an arrow that was deflected by the bandit leader's axe. Cetanu, his back unmoving and to the three students, dropped his sword. The bandit leader came down with both axes, crossing them both to protect his chest. Cetanu stepped back, kicking the man in the face and causing him to flip back, the force wrenching both axes from his hand.

Cetanu was upon him before he even hit the ground. He struck him once, a punch to the face as he stood atop the man. He stepped on his face, grinding his heel into his face with vigor, his face still a stalwart mask.

"Get the fuck off me!" the bandit screamed, and Cetanu lifted his boot, slamming it down and stunning the bandit. Cetanu lifted his foot again, another stomp shattering the man's nose. The next stomp took out some of his teeth. Cetanu couldn't express it well, but he felt a pure fury, a Frenzy of sorts. He didn't know how to express himself, and in his anger and frustration, he simply continued to stomp the man. He lost track of how many times his foot came down, but he wasn't satisfied yet.

"Kostas!" Cetanu heard, being tackled off the man by a stray bandit, Cetanu wrestling himself to atop the bandit, his mounted position allowing him to rain down punches, the armor on his fingers cutting the flesh of the bandit. In his fury, Cetanu didn't notice the leader, Kostas, leap to his feet and grasp one of his axes. He leapt forward, like an inhuman beast, directly at the girl.

The other two students knew they wouldn't make it in time, calling out for her to run. Cetanu picked up on this and surged forward, covering the girl and exposing his back to his opponent. As the axe came down, Cetanu felt himself sink, as if being pulled down underneath water.

"You absolute buffoon! What are you trying to accomplish!?" Cetanu heard. He sighed, looking up to the same stone chair he'd seen in his dreams. "Honestly, jumping in front of an axe for some girl you've just met!?" he heard, another scolding remark from the chair's direction. Residing in the chair was Sothis, a pointy eared, wild haired girl that haunted Cetanu's dreams and thoughts. "Jealous?" he asked, his blank stare and unmoving face aggravating the girl, who narrowed her eyes and puffed up her cheeks. "What did I tell you about keeping your wit in line?" she scolded, and Cetanu remained silent.

She sighed, trying to remain calm in the face of the emotionless mercenary. "So what shall we do? If you die, I might cease to exist as well." she asked, and Cetanu hummed. He began to think about what could be done, but he was distracted by Sothis herself. He wild mane of hair and bright eyes, and her lithe, feminine frame were captivating to Cetanu. "It's quite simple. Release me from this hold you have and let me take the blow. My armor should suffice." he said, and she frowned.

"Like I said, I won't take the chance of you dying, especially for some random harlot you just met." she said, and Cetanu could feel his face twitch at her agitation. "You truly are jealous, aren't you?" he teased, and she groaned aloud, rising from her seat and looking at him with a fiery gaze. Cetanu enjoyed teasing her for some reason, but relented. "Unless you can turn back the hands of time, I don't think you have a choice." he said, and she blinked. "Of course. I'll just turn back the hands of time!"

Cetanu inhaled. "Will I retain my memories?" he asked, and she nodded. A large magickal seal appeared in front of her, bright in color, and with some odd symbol in the center. It reminded him of a House Crest, a symbol on the banners of some of the noble houses he'd worked for in the pace. "Save the girl, and save yourself. You who was brought her by the flow of time. Bring the flames of justice to those who'd harm the innocent." she said, and Cetanu felt himself launched backwards, his mind replaying the past few minutes before he found himself back atop the bandit as the leader began to rise. Cetanu exhaled, throwing a stiff right punch at the bandit he was atop before leaping up and surging at Kostas.

Cetanu launched himself, slamming his shoulder into Kostas' abdomen and driving him to the ground, the axe bouncing from his grip. Using the momentum, Cetanu rolled to his feet, clenching his fists and lifting his left leg. "Rise!" he shouted, his voice melancholic and loud. Kostas rolled to his feet coughing and wheezing, he shook his head and looked to his remaining bandits. "Re-retreat!" he screamed, running in the opposite direction as Jeralt and a few of their allies arrived. "Are you alright Kid?" he asked, and Cetanu stared off at the bandits, his face still a stone mask, disguising how he felt.

"Hey, not here." Jeralt said, and Cetanu inhaled sharply. Just then, a group of soldiers, led by a burly man in snow white armor burst into the clearing. "Reach for the heavens scoundrels! The Knights of Seiros have arrived!" he shouted, looking to Jeralt, who seemed incredibly aggravated. "Of all of the Church's lackeys, why'd it have it to be him?" he asked, and the man began to laugh happily.

"Captain Jeralt!? Is that you? It's me, Alois, your old squire!" he said, and Jeralt looked to Cetanu. "It's been a while." he said, and Alois laughed again, smile on his face. "What a blessing that the students ran into you!" he said, and Jeralt tried his best to brush him to the side. "Yes. And now that you're here, they're your problem again. I'm a busy man and I must be going." he said, and Alois seemed upset by the statement, Cetanu noticing that the three students were all being waited on by various soldiers the burly man brought with him.

"Please Captain! You must return to the Monastery with me! Lady Rhea has been worried about you for years!" He pleaded and Jeralt looked to Cetanu before sighing. "I knew this day would come. You better try to relax while you can, because it's only going to get more difficult from here." he said, and Alois looked to Cetanu.

"Is this your son, Captain?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "As far as I know." he said, his melancholic voice only added to Alois' amusement. "There's no doubt about it with that humor." he said, and Cetanu looked to Jeralt, who nodded with many meanings as Cetanu headed over to the students he saved.

When he approached, the soldiers all were on edge, seeing the blank faced mercenary approach, his ebon attire only disturbed by random pink strips of cloth and the marking of Jeralt's Mercenaries in white. On his waist was a blue dagger, but that seemed to be less of a weapon and more of an heirloom or personal effect. "Halt. Whether you saved them or not, we can't trust you approaching so carelessly." they said, and Cetanu inhaled through his nose lightly.

"Is there another name they speak when they tell tales of Jeralt's Mercenaries. Surely they speak of my father, but what of another?" he asked, and they all took a step back. "I hold no ill will towards these students. If anything, I wish to check on their well being and gauge their potential should they ever take up a mercenary's blade." he said, and one of the soldiers shook his head. "We'll allow it, but do know that we'll be watching, Ashen Demon." he said, and Cetanu nodded, his eyes looking past them to the three students, who seemed rather impressed with the man who saved them.

"You are something else. And to think that Jeralt the Blade Breaker, former Captain of the Knights of Seiros, is your father." the girl said, and Cetanu looked to her, focusing on her purposely to agitate Sothis. "I knew nothing of my father's past." he said, and her eyes narrowed slightly. "How fascinating." she said, her posture shifting slightly. "However, I must move on to more important matters. It would be an honor if you could swing your blade in service of the Adrestian Empire." she said, and Cetanu remained silent, his mind not moving much either.

"I ask because I am no ordinary student. My name is -" "Halt Edelgard, do not be so hasty." the blond boy said, and Cetanu focused on him for a moment. He found him rather amusing, his posture belying a much more animalistic physicality than he let off. "Forgive me, but I would love if you could offer your services to the Kingdom of Faerghus. We could use someone with your prowess and knowledge." he said, and the bronze boy whistled.

"Wow, demanding fealty already? I'm surprised Your Highnesses, I for one was planning on building a bond on our trip back to the monastery before begging for favors and making the guy who saved us take a knee." he said, and Edelgard narrowed her eyes.

They began to bicker amongst themselves as Sothis groaned in his mind, agitated by the situation. "Unbelievable! You save their life and they demand fealty!? What kind of snobbish little nobles are they! Especially that girl!" she shouted in his mind. "What do you think of Edelgard?" Cetanu asked her, and she frowned. "I think she's strong, and willing to do anything to achieve her goals. I smell the ambition on her, and something about it unnerves me." she said, and he hummed. "And the blond boy?" he asked, and Sothis scratched her wild mane of hair. "Well, he's virtuous, but his eyes show a lot of suffering, and I'm afraid for what happens if that repressed evil rises to the surface." she said, and Cetanu nodded.

"Indeed. I noticed as much. Honestly it interests me. I wonder if he'd be a worthy opponent for me." he mused, looking to the bronze boy, his more flamboyant garb only accenting his height and slim build. "And this one?" he asked, and Sothis narrowed her eyes. "He's full of mischief. He's got a pretty face and a nice smile, but his eyes… they seem to always be hiding something." he said, and Cetanu nodded in agreement. Alois and Jeralt approached. "Come along now, we must make it back to the Monastery as soon as possible!" he said before walking away with a hearty laugh, the students all bowing to him as they departed. Jeralt looked after them.

"What do you think?" he asked, and Cetanu hummed. "The boy in yellow is interesting. It's clear that he's not a fighter like the blond one, but he's more than capable of holding his own and surviving. The girl, Edelgard, is something. She asked me to serve the Empire before introducing herself." he said, and Jeralt looked to his son. "Did they.. stir you?" he asked, and Cetanu tilted his head ever so slightly. "A little. Nothing I can't handle." he said, and Jeralt frowned. "I was hoping to avoid the Monastery for a while longer, but it can't be helped. Come on, we have to keep up." he said, and Cetanu nodded, following silently, the stoic mercenary like a Gargoyle, stony and vigilant.

The walk, which went through the night, the next night, and into the next morning, was uneventful. When they approached their destination, the two groups, the Knights and Jeralt's Mercs, began to intermingle, as they'd be working together more often. This led to the three students walking alongside the mercenary. They all took to him, something he found odd. Normally, his stoic attitude, lack of interest in normal activities and battle prowess made him an outcast. Even amongst the band of mercenaries he'd spent his entire life with, he was one of the less popular, normally only speaking to his Father.

"I could show you around when we get there." The blond boy, whose name was Dimitri, said. "It really is Fodlan in a nutshell." Claude, the bronze boy, said. Cetanu remained silent, something the trio had gotten used to somehow. They didn't take it as rude, and if they did, they never showed it outwardly. He walked through a final clearing, and saw a massive compound of a building, huge and castle like in size and structure. "There it is. Garreg Mach Monastery." Edelgard said, and Cetanu remained stoic, his face locked on the huge building, glancing to his father briefly before narrowing his eyes. He knew he'd be spending a large portion of his year here at the least, and for some reason, he didn't mind it. Normally remaining in one place would aggravate Cetanu for many reasons, but this time.. it was alright.

The students followed the Knights when they entered the gates, Cetanu's eyes traveling about at the many people, commoner and noble alike, that resided within the large walls of the monastery. He looked to his father, who frowned as he walked about. "I'm not too happy about being back here." he said, and Cetanu could tell. His father was always a scowling face, but never this much. It was like there were memories he was trying to repress, or people he didn't want to see. And, as if on cue with Cetanu's thoughts, his father stopped, looking up to a high balcony, where Cetanu saw a lone woman.

She was mesmerizing, and he could tell she was a figure of importance. Her long, lavish hair was a unique, bright green color, and her eyes held a worldly wisdom and desire about them. Her garb was extravagant in it's simplicity, her headdress and mantle distracting from her simple, formfitting white robe that hugged a figure that Cetanu could only gaze at. He felt his tongue run along his lips as he looked at the woman. "Get a hold of yourself." Jeralt said, and Cetanu could almost feel his face move. He wanted to frown, but something in his body prevented him from emoting at all. He wondered what it was, but he didn't dwell on it, choosing to follow his father through the halls.

"Father, how familiar are you with my… 'condition'?" Cetanu asked, and Jeralt looked to him as they traveled through a large building towards a set of stairs. "Your mother pointed me to some literature, and explained that in order to keep you.. healthy, that we'd have to suppress your symptoms with constant activity, to keep your mind off of it. That's why I don't want to be here." he said, and Cetanu frowned. "Would it be so wrong if I gave in? Have you seen what happens if I do?" he asked, and Jeralt sighed at they headed towards a large audience chamber. "That's why I brought you along instead of leaving you with the band. I've seen how you get when we get into fights with bandits and thieves. You need to give in, Kid. Just.. not too much." he said, Cetanu nodding as they entered the chamber, the captivating woman from the balcony there to meet them with a small smile.

"Jeralt, it is so good to see you again, old friend." she said, her soft voice carrying a sense of authority with it. "I'm not too thrilled about being back here, but the feeling is mutual all the same, Rhea." he said, and Cetanu watched as her gaze shifted to him. "And I see the miracle of fatherhood has blessed you as well." she said, and Jeralt nodded. "Indeed. He was born many years after I left the monastery. I wish I could introduce you to his mother, but we… lost her to illness shortly after he was born." he said, and Cetanu locked eyes with the woman, ignoring the tales his father told. The woman was oddly perceptive, as she could see the emotions hidden beneath his stony gaze. His desire, his curiosity, his anger. It was mesmerizing to her, and she could tell he was special. Jeralt picked up on this, because he nudged Cetanu in the side, breaking his trance.

"Go on, introduce yourself to Rhea." he said, expecting Cetanu to be plain and stoic as always. Instead, the ebon warrior dropped to one knee, bowing his head and inhaling, trying to hide his face from her view. "I am Cetanu Eisner, second in command of Jeralt's Mercenaries." he said, and Rhea smiled. "Rise, Child. You owe me no such fealty." she said, and he rose, his inward feelings like a tempest within, struggling to be let out. Cetanu hated this part about himself, and he would have to find the key to his physical cage, the thing that would allow him to smile, to frown, to cry, and to be… human.

Before the conversation could continue, a man with green hair, a shade identical to Sothis', and blue garbs, entered from the left of the Archbishop. "Pardon my intrusion, but there is an urgent matter that requires our attention." he said, and the woman nodded, almost reluctantly. She looked to the pair of sellswords. "We will continue this tomorrow. Please allow Alois to show you to your quarters for the night." she said, and Cetanu bowed his head slightly.

The walk to his quarters was uneventful, and when he entered the room, which was rather close to many of the students that attended the Officer's Academy, he sat on his bed and tried to frown. His body wouldn't allow it, and he heard a familiar sigh in his mind.

"If you were an animal, you would have jumped that Rhea woman more than once. Do try to control yourself." she said, and Cetanu stared blankly. "My body doesn't respond to my desires. I can not smile, frown, cry or even call out in anger as I desire. Do you know how much pent up rage is within me for that sole fact alone?" he asked, and the girl seemed hesitant before she spoke again. "I heard you speaking to your father of a 'condition'. Tell me that you are healthy, and that I will not fade from existence because you have some illness or another." she demanded, almost pleaded. Cetanu exhaled, as his body wouldn't even allow him a sigh.

"My heart… does not beat. Neither me or my Father know why. He tells me that my Mother knows, but she has passed on." he said, and Sothis sighed. "Can you explain to me what it is? Perhaps I can offer you some advice, or at the least tell you how to hide your illness from others." she said, and Cetanu relented. He never could say no to Sothis.

When the Eisner's reached the audience chamber, they noticed that the woman named Rhea was absent. "It looks like I'm going back with the Knights of Seiros." he said, sighing and shaking his head. He looked to his son. "It seems you'll be working here as well." he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. "As a mercenary, or a part of the Knights with you?" he asked, and his father groaned, disliking the situation. "No, turns out you'll be doing something a little different. Turns out that during that little expedition into Remire Village, one of the Professors at their Academy ran off like a bitch. So that damn buffoon Alois went and recommended you to Rhea." he said, and Cetanu was honestly surprised. A teacher? That was the last job he'd expect to have.

When the woman named Rhea entered the room, she had the blue garbed man with her. "Greetings. My name is Seteth, I am the Advisor to Archbishop Rhea in all manners." he said, bowing slightly as Cetanu bowed in turn, something his Father didn't do. "I assume Alois filled you both in on our requests?" he asked, and Jeralt nodded. "Of course. We accept, but do know that you should come to me or my son directly instead of taking a recommendation from Alois of all people." he said, and Seteth frowned, as if disrespected.

"If there is a problem, we can surely come to a compromise. Of course, I myself find it hard to believe that an esteemed warrior such as yourself would refuse such an honored position as Captain of the Knights of Seiros." he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. He found the man's tone unacceptable, and grinded his teeth ever so slightly.

"I can handle myself. It's my son I'm speaking of. Appointing someone that young as a Professor has to be a fool's errand." he said, and Seteth folded his arms, Cetanu and Rhea watching silently. "I agree, that's why I'm giving him a chance to back out. I already have a backup planned should he refuse or not meet expectations." he said, and Cetanu took a step forward, tilting his head up at the man slightly, as he was taller than the ebon garbed man.

"I will be fine. Do try and keep your wit in line. I'd hate to be the man that made an enemy out of the Ashen Demon without lifting a finger." he said, the other three, much older adults, taken aback by his words, which were said with a flat, dead voice. He looked to Rhea, bowing. "Your orders, My Lady?" he asked, and she smiled. "With you being appointed as the newest professor, you will be placed in charge of one of our three classes. I advise you to spend the day traveling the grounds, interacting with and meeting some of the students. When you are satisfied, please return here." he said, and Cetanu beat his fist on his chest before leaving, trying his best to remain in control of all of his suppressed emotions and desires.

After leaving, Jeralt caught up to him, rather quickly as well. "What the hell was that?" he asked, and Cetanu frowned. An honest to the Goddess frown, something that Jeralt took note of. "I will not tolerate being spoken to in such a tone. The man hadn't known me for a single day or held a single conversation with me and already insinuated that my skills were not to his standard? He's lucky he wasn't first." Cetanu said, and Jeralt sighed. He knew the day would come when Cetanu would grow restless and easily agitated, and he knew that day would be when he was forced around so many people at once.

A pair of older people walked up to them, a man in a gray overcoat and a woman in a revealing dress with daggers strapped to her thigh. Cetanu narrowed his eyes, inhaling as he tried to calm himself. He noticed that the older man had a scholarly air about himself, whilst the woman seemed anything but professional. "My, you must be the new professor. It makes sense, with such a stern face and imposing figure." the woman said, crooning over Jeralt, who seemed unnerved by the attention. "Uhh, you got the wrong guy." he said, patting Cetanu on the shoulder before leaning closer. "Good luck. Watch out for Rhea, I don't know what she's up to, but it can't be good." he said, and Cetanu nodded before turning his attention to the woman.

There was no denying that she was beautiful, her bosom, bountiful and shimmering against the light of the sun that peered through the windows, one of the first things that Cetanu noticed. "So it's you? Well, aren't you a little young to teach?" he asked, and the older man sighed. "You should know full well that appearance doesn't bely age, Manuela." he said, and she sighed. "Stuff it Hanneman." she said, and Cetanu tilted his head slightly. "I am Cetanu. I am the new Professor, yes." he said, bowing respectfully. "My name is Hanneman. This boisterous woman here is Manuela. We are the other Professors that will be teaching here this year. I myself am a Crest Scholar. I look forward to speaking with you in private, should you have a moment. I would love to see if you have a Crest of your own." he said, and Cetanu stared blankly.

He'd heard of Crests, as they were the focal points of certain missions he'd gone on. The bloodline abilities of certain noble houses. He knew of them, and had even faced them, and their 'Relics', before. They were rather powerful, and he began to wonder how often he'd be able to face them, now that he was in the center of the country, at a place where all nobles visited.

"Pleasure. I'll make sure to pay you a visit. Crests interest me as well for their battle potential." he said, and the woman almost pouted, as if jealous. "Well, my name is Manuela. I'm a physician, a songstress, and.. available." she said, and Cetanu wished he could smirk at the comment, his face unmoving despite his thoughts. Cetanu bowed to her, taking her hand and placing a chaste kiss on it. "It's a pleasure Madam. I look forward to working with you." he said, winking to her before he departed, leaving her staring after him. Hanneman could tell something was wrong, and he looked to her. "Is something amiss, Manuela?" he asked, and she nodded, clutching her hand. "His lips were… cold."


	2. Mark 3:14

The first person Cetanu passed on his travels around the Monastery was his father. "You met the other Professors I take it?" he asked, and he nodded, the two walking together. "Amusing pair. I can tell I'll get along with them. What of the Knights?" he asked, and Jeralt shrugged. "Not sure. Surprised how many higher ranking Knights are women nowadays. Makes you wonder how you court such a woman." he said, and Cetanu let out a short exhale that was meant to be a chuckle.

"What's the matter Old Man? Afraid of being alone?" Cetanu jabbed, Jeralt finding his son's teasing rather amusing. "This place is already having an effect on you isn't it?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. A random soldier came up to the pair, beckoning Jeralt away, claiming that he was needed at the Knight's Garrison, as he'd yet to introduce himself to the many men he'd be leading, his old mercenaries included. Cetanu sighed, scratching his head as he walked a hallway. He found himself in a courtyard, where he noticed a familiar face.

"Hey there." Claude said, sending a smirk in the mercenary's direction. He nodded. "Did they tell you which class you'd be in charge of?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "No. They only informed me I would be a professor. That Seteth fellow struck a chord with me oddly enough." he said, and Claude laughed.

"Well, regardless, this section of the Monastery is the general classroom area, as you can see by the large, vibrant little banners." he said, and Cetanu looked to where he gestured. Hanging on either side of large, stone walkways were vibrantly colored banners, each a primary color with an insignia on it. The one in the center, a bright blue banner with a proud, fang bared lion, caught his eye the most. "I myself, am the 'leader' of the class to the left. We're the Golden Deer, and we all hail from the Leicester Alliance." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "The ragtag band of nobles that split off from the Empire? The ones led by Reigan?" he asked, remembering a job he had in the area. "Yep. Infact, the leader of the Alliance, Duke Reigan, is my grandfather." he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes.

The Duke was his grandfather? He nodded, unable to emote any further. "And your other classmates are in the general area, correct?" he asked, and Claude shrugged. "Raphael is probably stuffing his face in the dining hall, and Leonie is probably running around like crazy looking for your Old Man. She says she used to be his apprentice, apparently." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head.

He didn't remember that, but then again, he was raised to pay little attention to most things, his own age normally slipping by if he didn't struggle to keep track of it. "Thank you Claude. I hope that if I end up teaching your class, even once, that you and your Deer make an impression." he said, and Claude smiled, a more genuine action that was accompanied by a wink. Cetanu only nodded in return, unable to smile in kind as he headed in the direction of the classroom itself.

Within the Golden Deer classroom, he could see that regardless of where he was put, his job would be run of the mill. A chalkboard, desk with a quill and ink, and a large wooden dresser he could only assume was filled with paperwork decorated the back of the room, as shelves lined the walls, books aplenty filling them. A few students cast him a glance, his attire rather off by most standards, aware that he'd be an odd man out unless he chose to don the uniform of the Academy, something that seemed incredibly unlikely, as it wasn't suited for combat, even basic training. There were a few students that stuck out, and they chose to make their presence known, a much larger boy, who Cetanu gauged would be quite an interesting opponent, approaching him. The young giant was accompanied by a much smaller, frailer boy with glasses, who had an odd, rather specifically cut, hairdo.

"Heya! I heard that you saved Claude's tail out there. I just wanna thank ya!" he said, and Cetanu nodded. "I take it you're Raphael? Claude expected you to be in the dining hall." he said, and the boy laughed, a loud, hearty sound that made Cetanu's eye twitch. "That's actually where I was heading. Feel free to join me, I heard they got some rare beef today!" he said, walking away with a smile. "Forgive Raphael, he forgets his manners sometimes." the smaller boy said. "My name is Ignatz Victor. Are you going to be a student here as well?" he asked, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. He was surprised that they boy didn't know what his position was, but he decided to play it off, and assume that no one apart from the faculty and house leaders knew that he was to teach.

"I'm traveling with my Father at the moment. I stopped by as a mercenary while he spoke to Archbishop Rhea about a job he was asked to do." he said, and the boy hummed. "Well, I thank you regardless for keeping Claude alive. He's a bit of a hard head. It's not becoming of a noble like him. I myself am just the son of a merchant family, so what do I know?" he said with a chuckle. Cetanu found the boy slightly amusing, and could tell that he'd make a good student. Plus, he wasn't offensive to look at, bar that egregious haircut. He noticed that he was being approached from behind, something he didn't appreciate as he turned around.

He was met with a pair of girls, one very, very small with long snow white hair, something Cetanu would find odd if not for his own unusual hair color. Next to her was a taller, young woman with long pink hair tied into pig tails. He narrowed his eyes slightly. Did all of these young nobles have odd hair colors? She was pretty without a doubt, and her outfit was far more suggestive, with a shorter skirt and thigh high stockings. He also had a tighter shirt than the smaller girl, something that showed off that she was well endowed for her age. "Are you the one that saved Claude? The gargoyle man?" the smaller one, who Cetanu found more out of place than himself, asked. "Gargoyle man? Tell me Child, did Claude call me that?" he asked, wishing he could smirk at the moment, remembering how his father would tease children, himself included, in such a fashion. She frowned, puffing out her small chest and narrowing her eyes at him.

"I am NOT a child! I am Lysithea Von Ordelia! Don't forget my name!" she shouted, almost like a child throwing a tantrum. "Relax Lysithea, he's just teasing you. Hilda Valentine Goneril, pleased to meet you." she said, smiling and winking at him as he bowed in respect. "Cetanu Eisner, Mercenary. It's a pleasure." he said, and she smiled, trying her best to absorb his attention, which she could tell was beginning to shift.

"So, are you gonna be a student here too? It'd be pretty cool if we got a guy like you in our class." she said, and Cetanu exhaled slightly, attempting a chuckle. He glanced about the room, trying to find something to change the subject, as the girl was ever so slightly annoying. "Not really, I'm just a passing through Mercenary. Are all of your classmates as feisty as the two of you?" he asked, and she giggled. "Not all of us. Lorenz is just a prude and Marianne likes to keep to herself." she said, and Cetanu nodded. "I see. My father trusted me with speaking to nobles, privately might I add, seeing if they'd require our services." he explained, his monotone voice allowing him to lie without much effort his entire life.

"And what use would a noble such as myself have for a Mercenary?" he heard, the pink haired girl puffing up her cheeks and sulking away with her tiny friend as a boy, tall and slender, approached Cetanu. This one was far odder in appearance, his overly angular facial structure and haircut making him look like a bad painting instead of a human being. Not one to keel to nobles, Cetanu faced him with a blank stare and gargoyle like posture. "Well, there are a few of my female allies that could fit you with a better hairstyle, and a few of my male allies would be more than suited to help train that attitude out of you." he said, and the purple haired fellow narrowed his eyes.

"I won't tolerate such disrespect. I am Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, do you have any idea how important my family is?" he asked, and Cetanu rolled his eyes, bowing in feigned respect. "My apologies Milord. I'll see meself away." he said, turning and walking away from the noble, wishing the small boy with the glasses was still around.

However, Cetanu noticed something else. In the corner, by herself, as if praying, was a pretty girl with bright blue hair. As Cetanu approached her, he noticed that her demeanor, aura and posture were all rather depressing, as if the girl had no reason to carry on living. He didn't like it, and decided that while he spent his life in this area, he'd tryo to at least brighten her day. "Greetings Ma'am. I am Cetanu Eisner." he said with a bow, the girl whimpering to herself as Cetanu gazed at her with his blank, dead stare. With this stare, he was able to discern something rather odd about her. Her ears, which were small and hidden behind her bright hair, were completely white, as if the flesh was frozen or ghoulish. He found this incredibly interesting, and had to refrain from commenting on it.

"M-m-my name is…. Marianne." she said, and Cetanu bowed, hiding the fact that he was unable to smile. "A fine name for a fine woman. I hope that we will work well together this year. I'd hate to see you look so dark all the time." he said, choosing to leave the girl to her own devices, making for the next classroom. However, as he exited the large, stony room, a single figure came up to him. A girl, who Cetanu found rather pretty, with a short orange haircut and an archer's glove, narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm Leonie Pinelli. Do you know who I am?" she asked, and Cetanu tilted his head.

"Are you the one that Claude claimed would be looking for my Father?" he asked, and she narrowed her eyes further. "I am. I'm Jeralt's best apprentice, and I even bet that I could beat you!" she said, and Cetanu felt his face twitch. He wanted nothing more than to burst out laughing, the amusement locked within his stomach causing him to shake his head. "Perhaps we can test that one day, little girl." he said, patting her on the shoulder as he walked past her, ignoring her shouts and curses.

Before he could reach the other classroom, he noticed Dimitri across the courtyard. The young man noticed him as well, beckoning him over with a smile and a wave. "It's good to see you again. Have you been told which class you'll be teaching?" he asked, and he shook his head. "Not yet. However, I'd appreciate if you told no one that I am to teach. I want to meet everyone as an equal, not a superior." he said, and Dimitri nodded. "Of course. If you can't tell from my own garb, I'm the leader of the Blue Lion house, which consists of students from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus." he said, and Cetanu hummed.

"Something about the Kingdom was always pleasant to me. It must've been the soil. The Shieldmaiden's amongst our band loved to garden when we traveled Faerghus." he explained, and Dimitri chuckled. "I'm glad our land was fruitful for you." he said, blinking before bowing briefly. "Forgive me for my behavior at Remire Village. I was asking you for your services before introducing myself. My name is Dimitri Alexandre Bladdiyd, Crown Prince of Faerghus." he said, as if rehearsed.

Cetanu was able to raise a brow, his face otherwise unmoving. A class lead by a Prince? He immediately assumed that Edelgard was some form of higher ranking noble, but nodded respectfully to Dimitri regardless. "Is your batch of children as unusual as Claude's?" he asked, internally amused. He chuckled. "I would hope not. Most of us are humble, and I would argue we're the most combat proficient class. My friend, Dedue, is a man of Duscur, and is likely the only person attending the Academy that can match my strength." he explained.

"Mercedes is from a noble family, but her ambition lies with the Church, and she's studied the Faith of Seiros and various healing magicks. Annette is similar but the magick she learned is more suited for combat, even if her body isn't." he explained, and Cetanu tilted his head. He hadn't put much stock into magick himself. He knew a little, but nothing that wouldn't be better off forgotten for his own physical abilities.

"Claude himself is an archer. Is there any gifted with a bow in your class?" he asked, and Dimitri hummed. "Well, Ingrid has taken a staunch interest in knighthood, but her affinity lies in pegasi and lances for the most part. Sylvain, heir to House Gautier, is more concerned with wooing his female classmates than his actual work. I don't think I've ever seen Felix pick up a bow, so that leaves Ashe. He's an earnest boy who was adopted into a noble family, but I do see him try to pick up a lance or an axe most of the time." he said, and Cetanu hummed. "I'll take a gander at them myself. Perhaps I can sniff out their hidden talents." he said, Dimitri chuckling. "I'd hope so. It'd be a little disappointing if our Professor couldn't bring out our potential." he said, and Cetanu bowed his head, taking that as a challenge. He turned away from the blonde Prince, heading towards the Blue Lions classroom.

When he entered the room, he was met with a more refined aura, his initial impression that the class took themselves more seriously, and were more devout to their individual ambitions, unlike the Golden Deer, who felt like a single dysfunctional family. The first of the students Dimitri described he met were two girls, one likely Cetanu's age with long blond hair, and her friend, a tiny girl with little orange pigtails. "Well hello there. Are you the Mercenary that Dimitri talked about? He said you'd be wearing all black." she said, her high pitched, birdlike voice grating at Cetanu's nerves. "I am. Cetanu Eisner, pleased to meet you." he said, bowing as she kept the same cheshire grin on her face. "My name is Mercedes, and this is my friend Annie." she said, and the little girl smiled, holding her tiny hand out to him.

He shook it softly, her grip slightly stronger than he was expecting. "My name is Annette Fantine Dominic. I'm the Blue Lions' best mage, and I dare anyone to tell you otherwise." she said, and Cetanu exhaled, another attempt at a chuckle. "I hope that I have a chance to see your magickal prowess at work, Milady." he said, and she smiled, very proud of herself. Glancing about the room, he looked for a reason to continue moving. "My father wished for me to look for work. Do you know any nobles that might require assistance in their territories?" he asked, and the girls hummed. "We could always go ask Dimitri." Mercedes said, and Annette nodded, the duo leaving Cetanu's presence without as much as a nod. "That was kind of rude of you to give them the slip like that." a girl with braided blond hair said.

"That was not my objective, but as you might be able to tell, I'm not the best with conversation." Cetanu responded, seeing an almond eyed boy with a bad attitude and long navy blue hair approach. "Are you the one that the Boar said saved him? He spoke very highly of your skills, and he doesn't do that often." he said, and Cetanu looked the boy over.

"If you wish to test my talents, I must refuse this once." he said, and the girl looked to him with a whistle. "Tough luck Felix, I know you were itching to fight him." she said, almost teasingly. He grit his teeth, looking from her to Cetanu. "Regardless of Ingrid's prattle, why would you refuse?" he asked, and Cetanu glanced about the room. "I hold the advantage. I have greater experience, greater size, better garb, and most importantly, less emotion." he said, wishing he could smile to agitate the boy further. Felix remained composed however, something Cetanu liked. "If I were to draw my sword right now, what would happen?" he asked, and Cetanu hummed.

"I would deflect the damage with my armor, and either strike you at close range, disarm you, or grab the nearest bench and fight you with it. Should that prove ineffective I can always throw books at you until I see an opening. Of course, I could always just use magick and light a book aflame and burn down the classroom." he said, able to at least shrug. Felix narrowed his eyes. "We'll see about that." he said, reaching for his sword. "Felix, that is quite enough. His Highness wouldn't want you drawing your sword on this man." Cetanu heard, turning to see a larger boy, his skin brown and hair white.

Based on his manners and conduct, the merc surmised this was Dedue, the Duscur man Dimitri spoke of. Felix scoffed, casting a dirty look their way before leaving, the blond girl shaking her head before following him. "My thanks." he said, and Dedue bowed deeply. "Consider it my duty. You saved His Highness' life, and for that, I am eternally grateful. If you ever require assistance, me and my axe are at your service." he said, the tone of his voice incredibly serious. "I appreciate that My Friend." he said, another boy approaching the duo.

This one caught Cetanu's attention immediately. He was short, but his shaggy gray hair and bright green eyes mesmerized Cetanu, who felt his hands twitch at the sight of the boy. "I've never seen anyone talk to Felix like that. You must be really strong, huh?" he asked, and Cetanu inhaled, trying to keep his composure. "I'd like to consider myself serviceable at the least." he said, and the boy chuckled, a light, fluttery sound that made Cetanu grind his teeth.

"My name is Ashe, and this is Dedue. We're very grateful to you. Will you be attending the Academy this year?" he asked, and Cetanu felt his face twitch slightly. "Unfortunately no. I'm here on business with my Father, Jeralt Eisner." he said, and the boy's beautiful eyes lit up. "You mean Jeralt the Blade Breaker!?"

Cetanu felt immensely relaxed by the boy's glee, nodding, almost slowly. "I've heard him referred to with that title, yes." he said, and Ashe smiled. "I hope you can introduce us to him, he's like a folk hero in the Kingdom." he said, and Cetanu exhaled. "I'd love to. But first, I must find him. He has a habit of getting lost." he said, bowing to the pair before heading to the next classroom.

When he entered the third classroom, he felt an odd energy about it, like it wanted to be refined, but there was something holding it back. It was an odd impression, and he could tell from a brief glance about, that the students were just as odd.

As he'd come to expect, he was approached as he entered the classroom, this time by a taller, older looking boy with pitch black hair over one of his eyes, the other eye a bright golden color. "You're the one who saved Lady Edelgard, I take it?" he asked, and Cetanu found this one interesting.

"That I am. I assume from your noble appearance and veneration of Edelgard that she's a higher ranking noble than you?" he asked, and the man laughed, his entire persona coming off as comically evil to Cetanu, who only watched him. "Why yes. I am Hubert, son of Marquis Vestra. My duty is to serve My Lady, Imperial Princess Edelgard Von Hresvelg." he explained, and Cetanu rose a brow.

What exactly were the odds of Cetanu and his father being dragged to the Monastery the year the next Duke of Leicester, King of Faerghus and Adrestian Emperor were students? Cetanu was on edge now, and his current company didn't help. "Than that by default means that this class is for the Imperials." he stated, and Hubert nodded.

"Precisely. This is The Black Eagle House. I take it you'll be attending this year?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "I'm only hear on business with my Father. Business I hope doesn't last very long. I dislike being in one place for too long." he said, the two exchanging silent, blank stares.

"Staring contest? Lemme in!" he heard, a rambunctious boy with sky blue hair and sleight stature approaching, flanked by a very feminine boy with green hair and an aura of weakness. "Not now Caspar." Hubert said, and the green haired boy yawned. "Lindhardt." he said, looking to Cetanu and waving lazily before moving to the nearest bench and laying down. Cetanu rose a brow.

"Sleepy one, isn't he?" he mused, and the blue haired boy laughed, loudly. "Yeah, but hey! I heard you saved Edelgard out there! She said you were crazy strong, you gotta let me spar with you!" he shouted, and Hubert cast the boy a deathly glare, something that Cetanu found rather amusing.

"I'd love to, but unfortunately, my father put me under specific orders to avoid fighting, especially nobles. Even if I think they might attack me first." Cetanu said, his gaze looking past the blueberry headed child to a small girl with purple hair, who seemed to quiver in horror at the ebon mercenary with the stony gaze.

"That's Bernadetta, Count Varley's daughter. She's a shy one, unfortunately." Hubert said, and Caspa growled aloud. "Hey!" he shouted, and Cetanu ignored him, walking past, a well built boy with orange cream colored hair smiling inn his direction.

"I am Ferdinand Von Aegir, son of Prime Minister Duke Aegir." he said, the very vision of a haughty nobleman. "Charmed. Shame I've never heard of your family." he said, and the boy seemed almost crestfallen. "Well, based on your conversation with Hubert, you don't know much about the outside world. Regardless, I hope to face you in single combat one day, if only to show you that I am of course, superior to Edelgard in every way." he said, and Cetanu chuckled, ignoring the shouts of the stout blueberry boy, who seemed to be growing more and more agitated as time grew on.

Next to him was a pretty girl with reddish hair and brown skin, tattoos across her face. "This is Petra. She's the Princess of Brigid, here under Empire supervision." he said, Cetanu not missing that his words had a hidden meaning. The girl was a political prisoner to put it bluntly, and Cetanu found this odd.

"It is being a pleasure. Forgive my speak, the Language of Fodlan is giving me much trouble." she said, and Cetanu exhaled, another failed chuckle. He bowed to her. "Your speech is coming along nicely, Princess. I hope if I ever travel to Brigid that you'll be able to show me around." he said, and she smiled. "THAT'S IT!"

The next thing Cetanu knew, the smaller boy had thrown a huge haymaker at him. A million scenarios ran through his mind, but he chose the one he felt would benefit him the most. Taking the blow, he simply remained still as if nothing had happened. Ferdinand leapt on the boy, holding him back as he kicked and screamed. "I won't be ignored!" he shouted, and Cetanu simply rolled his neck and sighed. He looked to Hubert and bowed.

"Where might Edelgard be? She's the only house leader I hadn't spoke to. Of course, Dimitri and Claude's classes were more… hospitable." he said, and Hubert looked to Caspar. "She should be in the hall connecting the Cathedral to the gardens, talking to Dorothea." he explained and Cetanu looked to Ferdinand. "Let him go." he said, and he looked from Caspar, who had froze up at his words. "Are.. are you sure?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Of course. I was under orders to not fight. There's no need to restrain him." he said, and Ferdinand loosened his grip, the angry blueberry charging Cetanu.

"Your charge is sloppy." he spoke, stepping to the side and inhaling before clenching his fists and lifting his left heel, his unusual black mantle having loose arm capes that drooped with his stance. Caspar seemed completely taken aback by the stance, before simply clenching his fists to his face.

"Your stance says that you're afraid. This makes it too easy to capitalize on your mistakes." he explained, and Caspar swung his right fist out wide. "Your swing is sloppy, lacks momentum and makes me wonder who taught you." he said, blocking it with a forearm. "I strike you in the chin with my left knee. You hit the floor with a fractured jaw, 3 missing teeth and a concussion. This opens you up for any number of follow up attacks." he said, and Caspar realized that he was outclassed.

He let his arm fall, Cetanu bowing deeply. "I thank you for this chance, Lord Caspar. I hope we meet again." he said, leaving and heading in the direction Hubert pointed him. After he was gone, Hubert narrowed his eyes at his retreating figure. "I don't understand. His orders were to not fight. Why did he engage Caspar?" Ferdinand said. Lindhardt rolled on the bench he dozed on. "He didn't fight. He was teaching."

Thankfully, the hall that Hubert spoke of wasn't very far, and Cetanu found Edelgard within a short while. The snow haired girl smiled to her, accompanied by a pretty girl that wore a funny little hat. "My Edie, is this the one that saved you?" she said, and Cetanu could tell that this girl was like Manuela in more ways than one. "Yes, he's a rather skilled warrior." she said, and Cetanu bowed to the girl. "Cetanu Eisner. I presume you are another noblewoman in the Princess' class?" he asked, and Dorothea chuckled. "No, I'm just a commoner with a lot of useful skills." she said, winking to him as she walked off, Cetanu exhaling in an attempt at a sigh. "I see you've not told anyone of my position." he said, and she nodded. "Professor Manuela asked us to not tell anyone. It would warp their impression of you. I see you've kept the ruse up yourself." she said, sounding impressed.

"I must admit I cracked a little. That boy with the blue hair, Caspar, struck me and I felt compelled to teach him the error of his ways." he said, realizing that his choice of words and stoic visage made it sound far more malevolent than it was. Edelgard narrowed her eyes slightly. "You didn't harm him, did you?" she asked, and he shook his head. "Of course not. I assume that he seemed upset that I was speaking to everyone else instead of explaining why I refused his challenge and lashed out. It wasn't his fault, but I did explain to him a few flaws of his fighting style. Hubert would be able to tell you more." he said, and Edelgard chuckled, amused.

"What do you think of our class?" she asked, and Cetanu could tell she had her own reason for asking. "Hubert is obviously some form of Dark Mage. I can tell without even engaging him in combat that sheer brute force wouldn't be wise against him. Even trying to match him magickally would be a poor idea." he said, humming to himself.

"Caspar has potential, but his attitude will cost him. Same with Lindhardt. I can sense incredible magick in his small body, but if he is to sleep all the time it will be a waste. Bernadetta refused to even speak to me, but I can tell from her garb that she's the class archer. Of course, with my knowledge and experience, I'd wager that she'd be better on horseback, unlike the other archers I met today." he explained, humming to himself.

"Petra is a huntress to the core. I wouldn't bother putting her in armor or on a horse. If anything, she'd make an interesting Assassin. Ferdinand I feel would be better off in that role however, wearing a suit of armor or riding a horse. Both would be ideal, but he'd require training from a Knight like my Father." he said, looking her in the eyes.

"And what about me? What do you think about me?" she asked, and he could tell she was very interested. "i can tell you're proficient with Axes, and more accustomed to wearing suits of armor than Dimitri or Claude. Infact, if I were to wager a guess, you're better than both of them at Magick as well. Now if that'd matter in an actual battle? That is to be seen." he said, bowing and giving her a blank faced wink before walking on.

Before he even exited the large hall he was in, he came upon a well built, handsome boy with fiery red hair, trying to woo some girl. The boy's back turned to Cetanu, and he tilted his head. He assumed this was the missing Blue Lion, the one Dimitri called Sylvain. The girl he was wooing, who seemed rather into him, glanced past him to the approaching gargoyle of a man, a chill running down her spine as she giggled and walked away without a word. "Hey.." Sylvain trailed off, Cetanu crossing his arms and wishing he could frown. How do you teach someone like this? He began to curse his luck, unfolding his arms as the boy turned around. He blinked, surprised at the stony face he was met with.

"I take it you're the guy who Dimitri was talking about?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "And I assume you're the one he spoke of with sadness in his voice? The heir to a noble house that was going to end up dead in some girl's bed, stabbed to death in his sleep by her father?" he asked, raising a brow in an attempt at sarcasm. Sylvain must have gotten it, because he started to laugh.

"Yeah that sounds about right. Sylvain." he said, holding his hand out. Cetanu shook it, looking him in the eyes. "Cetanu." he said, able to see a strength in Sylvain's face. He might not be a lost cause like some of the other students, but he would take a lot of work, and Cetanu felt like he wanted to take up the challenge.

"Before you head back to that Rhea woman, have you put any thought into which day care you'll run?" Sothis asked, and Cetanu, who leaned against a column overlooking the classrooms, hummed. "Not really. If I'm stuck with the Black Eagles, that Lindhardt and Caspar will be a problem. Hubert seems like he's up to something, and that something can only be Edelgard's dirty work. It's like a bad story about a commoner thrusted into regal service. Not ideal for me." he said, humming. "Should I end up with the Golden Deers, I wouldn't have much issue, although that Leonie girl would get annoying with her obsession with Father." he mused, scratching his head and exhaling.

"The Blue Lions might be the lesser of the evils but that Mercedes girl has an irritating voice, I can't really teach a mage, that Felix boy has too much of an attitude and Sylvain is a whole nother story. I'd honestly be best off as a Knight under Father." he said, shaking his head and scratching it. He knew that he had to get back to Rhea, but he truly didn't hold much of a desire to teach, much less these three groups of unusual nobles.

Sothis hummed in his head. "Perhaps you can remain here for a while and see if any of the students approach you and make an impression. Regardless of who you get saddled with, at least liking them is important, right?" she asked, and he shrugged, silently agreeing. As if on cue, he was approached by Caspar, who seemed much calmer than before.

"Hey, I just want to apologize for how I acted. That wasn't like me." he said, and Cetanu looked to him, his arms folded. "That's alright. I might have offended you without thinking. As you can see, I'm not very expressive or attentive. This offends a lot of people, especially when I have to negotiate a job for our band." he said, and Caspar chuckled. "I'm glad there's no hard feelings. Hubert'd kill me if you were mad at me." he said, and Cetanu exhaled, one more failed chuckle. "I don't know how to be mad, Caspar. I'm glad you're not just some wild child." he said, trying to be kind despite his disposition. The blueberry laughed, beating his chest as he departed, Cetanu musing to himself briefly.

"Cozying up to nobles already, huh?" he heard, the orange haired girl from before walking up to him. Cetanu found her attitude annoying, and he wondered where the root of it lied. "Not really. I got into a fight with that kid. Of course, whether or not you can call it a fight is up to the witness." he said, and she narrowed her eyes. "What are you and Captain Jeralt really here for? He's been with Seteth all day. This can't be a one and done." she asked, and Cetanu looked to her. "You say my Father trained you?" he inquired, and she nodded. Cetanu pushed himself off of the column, rolling his neck. "Take me off my feet." he said, and she looked to him, confused. He stared her down. "Standing there looking cute won't help you. Make your move." he said, and she clenched her fists, lowering her posture slightly. He remembered this lesson from his own youth, his Father adamant about training Cetanu against larger opponents.

She lunged forward, throwing a right jab at Cetanu, who stepped back, pushing her hand down lightly. "I chop you in the temple. You stumble, giving me enough time to follow up." he said, the girl throwing a high left kick, a growl in her throat. "I catch your leg, allowing me multiple follow ups, the simplest being to press and slam you, taking a mounted position and raining punches." he said as he weaved under her leg. She stomped forward and threw a right cross. "I catch your fist, twisting your arm clockwise and bending it, ending up behind you, allowing multiple follow ups." he said as he caught and released her fist. She stepped back. Cetanu could see from her posture that she forfeit.

"Even Captain Jeralt wasn't that harsh on me." she said, and Cetanu exhaled. "My Father is far better at this than I. Besides an orphan or two in the thick of a battle, I've never taught anyone anything. Your technique is acceptable, far better than that Caspar boy, but it's nothing special by my standards." he said, and she shook her head, walking away while mumbling about Jeralt. Cetanu scratched his head, exhaling.

"Those two were quite rambunctious." Sothis said, and Cetanu hummed in agreement. "Both have potential, but both have attitudes I'm not a big fan of." he said, shaking his head as he leaned against the column once more. He looked to the sky, seeing the sun slowly begin it's descent. "I suppose it's time to report back to Rhea, sadly." Sothis said, and Cetanu nodded. He pushed off the column and turned in the direction of the audience chamber, scratching his head.

He made it only eight steps before he whirled around with an open hand, snatching someone up who'd managed to sneak up on him. Not many could achieve such a feat, and Cetanu's swift movement was a gut instinct. He looked at his catch, his teeth grinding subconsciously. It was Ashe, the gray haired boy from before. He placed him down, exhaling. "Do not sneak up on me. I could have killed you." he said, the boy chucking nervously as he looked at Cetanu, who was deathly serious. "You aren't armed at all. Surely you don't mean that." he said, and Cetanu looked to him. "You are wearing a cloth uniform. I am still wearing armor. My metal covered shoulders, arms and fingers could do any number of things, not to mention my legs. I also know how to use a small amount of magick." he said, and the boy blinked, realizing exactly how strong Cetanu was. "Are you really just a mercenary? I've heard of Jeralt the Blade Breaker, but you seem scarier." he said, and Cetanu exhaled, yet another failed chuckle. "I've heard people call me the Ashen Demon. Not sure why, but perhaps it's my complexion." he said, and Ashe began to stutter, following Cetanu as he walked.

"Actually, in the Kingdom, the Ashen Demon is known for his lack of emotion in battle. It's said that he kills without mercy or compassion, his face a stony, ashen mask. Other tales, like the kind I was told for bed when I misbehaved, say that he used the sharpened bones of his victims as weapons." he said, and Cetanu found that incredibly amusing. He felt his face twitch. "I find it surprising that I was used as a boogeyman for you in your younger years. I'm not that much older than you." he said, walking up the stairs to the second floor. "So am I. You seem a lot different than the stories. I don't think it's right to call you a Demon." he said, and Cetanu looked back to Ashe as he reached the top of the steps. "I do."

When Cetanu entered the room, he was met by Rhea, Seteth, Manuela and Hanneman. The four of them watched him approach, his manners dictating that he bow, an action that was returned with respectful nods. "How was your day, Professor?" Rhea asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Well. I got into a couple of scuffles, but nothing I didn't turn into a lesson of sorts." he said, and Seteth seemed to frown at this. Rhea only smiled. "Very well. The time has come for you to be assigned your class." she said. Hanneman stepped forward, seeming more interested in something else. "We have come together and decided that since this is your first year as a Professor, and probably your first year doing anything other than traveling and fighting hoodlums and scoundrels, that you'd get to choose your class, and that we'd give you the first pick. Me and Manuela would of course pick the other classes." he said, and Cetanu blinked.

He was genuinely surprised, and wished he could show it better than a single blink. "Why allow me to choose? You have the next Archduke, King and Emperor attending this year. That's a little too much fire to play with, isn't it?" he asked, his eyes traveling to Rhea, who only chuckled lightly. Seteth however, felt that his statement was more serious. "What are you implying? That you'd manipulate them? Lead them astray? Or are you implying something far worse?" he asked, and Cetanu found Seteth incredibly agitating.

"Perhaps I intend on giving them so much homework it drives them mad, or I plan on running class longer than needed and making them drop from exhaustion, or even worse. I could make them listen to you prattle on like an overbearing mother until they decide to fall on their own sword just to escape you. Please do not take my confusion at your level of trust as a statement of underhanded conduct." he said, and Seteth narrowed his eyes, Cetanu able to tell that the two of them would come to blows if this continued on.

"My my, I've never seen you get worked up before. I think I like it." Manuela said, and Cetanu inhaled, relaxing his posture and closing his eyes. He bowed before Rhea. "My apologies Your Grace. My wit escapes me." he said, her smile never leaving her face. "It's alright. I understand that this decision is very difficult for you. Of course, I would expect my Advisor to be more empathetic." she said, casting a sideways glance to Seteth, Cetanu remaining composed as he thought it over.

Would he chose Edelgard and her Black Eagles? The vile Hubert, the noble Ferdinand, the shackled princess Petra, the purple pansy Bernadetta, the blueberry brute Caspar, the common harlot Dorothea and the lazy Lindhardt? He tilted his head.

What of Dimitri and his Blue Lions? The stalwart Dedue, the skirtchasing Sylvain, the banshee voiced Mercedes, the fiery pixie Annette, the prudent Ingrid, the outspoken swordsman Felix, and the green eyed wonder, Ashe. He rolled his jaw, narrowing his eyes.

And what of Claude and his Golden Deers? The bubblegum girl Hilda, the hungry hulk Raphael, the bespectacled boy wonder Ignatz, the debonair douchebag Lorenz, the marshmalllow munchkin Lysithea, and his Father's biggest fan, Leonie? He decided to allow himself a moment of weakness, and scratched his head, arguably the biggest show of emotion he could muster.

"Would I have to teach after I choose?" he asked, and Rhea shook her head. "Not today. You will teach them how you see fit starting first thing tomorrow, and at the end of this month, we will hold a mock battle between the three houses based on the first two weeks of instruction. It will be small, and you won't even utilize your entire class." she explained, and Cetanu wanted to frown. That didn't help his decision at all.

He exhaled, remembering what his Father said, and what he discussed with Sothis last night. He closed his eyes, his advanced mind running many scenarios in a split second, allowing him to think a little better. He hated making decisions like this, and Sothis was oddly quiet at the moment.

He shook his head and exhaled. "My apologies." he said, and Rhea only continued to smile that beautiful smile. "It's alright Child. Have you made a decision?" she asked, and he inhaled. "I have. I will lead the Blue Lion house."


	3. Psalm 34:10

"And what made you chose the Blue Lion house?" Seteth asked, a hint of skepticism in his voice. Cetanu glanced to him. "They interest me." he said, remaining vague. Rhea smiled. "Very well. The students have been told to gather in their classrooms to await the Professor assigned to them. You will cover tomorrow's material and brief them on their mission for this moon." she explained, and Cetanu bowed respectfully.

Rhea liked this new Professor. He was interesting, but very devout. "You are dismissed." she said, and he departed with another bow, Hanneman hounding him about stopping in his office first as the archbishop and Seteth watched the doors close on the Professors.

"Are you really sure about this, Rhea?" Seteth asked, and she nodded. "It was the will of the goddess that he be brought here. I am sure of it."

In Hanneman's office, a purple room filled with an immense number of books relating to Crests, along with sketches of Crests along the walls, Cetanu felt at ease. "The subject of Crests must be your soul endeavor." Cetanu mused, and Hanneman chuckled. "It is nearly all I think of, to be honest. The thought of discovering a new Crest, or something new about the nature or utility of Crests is a thrilling prospect, and one I would do anything to achieve." he said, and Cetanu nodded. He respected that.

"Now please, hold your hand here." he said, gesturing to a small pillar of dull light in the center of the room. Cetanu nodded, walking over and holding out his hand. "This magickally powered device is designed to draw out the power of your Crest, should you have one."

As Cetanu stared into the light, his hand began to glow, something that had never happened before. A sigil appeared, a fragmented group of twirls and lines that made no sense to Cetanu. He looked to Hanneman, as if to ask him what it meant. However, the older gentleman seemed enthralled at the design.

"Why, I've never seen such a mark before! It's as if it's an undiscovered Crest!" he said, gushing happily as Cetanu moved his hands. "Professor, I must request that you aid my research when it's convenient for you." he said, bowing slightly. Cetanu tilted his head. "In what way?" he asked, interested in his own Crest, as he knew that most Crests were held by noble families and their ilk.

"Well, not right now, as we must be getting to the students, but whenever it's acceptable for you. A physical examination at the infirmary to gauge your physical abilities and samples of your hair and blood would do wonders for my research." he said, incredibly genuine and enthused. Cetanu mulled it over for a spell before nodding. "Very well. In return, I would appreciate it if you could have someone deliver a few documents to my quarters pertaining to the known Crests of my students." he said, and Hanneman nodded. "Of course! Anyone who shares in my research of Crests is most welcome to all of my knowledge!" he said, a beaming smile on his face.

In the Blue Lions classroom, the students huddled together, wondering who their professor would be this year. "I heard last year that our class was taught by Professor Hanneman. I wouldn't mind learning more magick from him." Annette said, a determined look on her face. Ashe nodded. "I heard he was skilled with a bow as well. It would do wonders for us if he was our Professor." he said, and Sylvain chuckled.

"I wouldn't mind if Miss Manuela was our Professor. It'd help morale if our class was led by such a beautiful woman." he said, and Felix frowned. "Of course you'd say that. You'd ruin every lecture by trying to flirt with her, knowing you don't stand a chance." he said, and Ingrid chuckled. "Felix is right. You'd humiliate yourself on a regular basis. All we'd learn is how much patience she has." Mercedes hummed to herself. "What about that other professor? The one who went missing during the bandit attack? Do you suppose he's alright?" she asked.

Dimitri rubbed his chin. "I hope so. Although, if he was our Professor, we might want to consider asking Seteth if we can change classes." he said, and Dedue nodded. "Abandoning his students in that fray was a sad state of affairs, to be true."

They heard footsteps approaching, the eight students turning to the large stone archway that was the entrance to the classroom. They couldn't make out a figure, but they began mumbling amongst themselves. "Those footsteps are too careful and rehearsed. Sounds like Professor Manuela." Sylvain said, and Felix shook his head. "They're too sloppy for a trained performer. It has to be that professor from the other night. What was his name again? Acheron or something?" he asked, and Dimitri nodded. "It must be Professor Hanneman then. Perhaps he can show us how our Crests can be used to each other's benefit."

However, the figure that entered the room was the ebon mercenary from before, his blank face and dead stare no more comforting than before. "A-are you our Professor?" Annette asked, and Cetanu looked to her. It was meant to be a warm glance, but his unmoving, almost frozen face only gave her a dead stare for a few seconds. "I am." he said, and the group began looking amongst each other.

"For those of you who don't know or remember, I am Cetanu Eisner. This year I will be teaching this class. Archbishop Rhea has explained to me my basic duties. I will be learning with you, as I myself am only skilled in laborious activity." he explained.

"Does that mean I won't be able to learn any magick?" Annette asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "I will do my best to play to each of your strengths while also trying to either take into account your weaknesses or patch them up. I will also strive to find your hidden potential, be it a change of weapon or switching to magick or vice versa. My primary goal, at least for the near future, is to make you into better, more confident warriors worthy of leading your noble houses." he began, scratching his head.

"We were told that there would be no courses today. Is this true?" Felix asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Indeed. After we merely spend time together, you will do whatever it is you do after class. Tomorrow, before the sun reaches it's peak in the sky, meet me at the training grounds. Tomorrow's assignment will be to simply show me what you can do. I will spar with each of you individually in a matchup of your choosing. My weapon will be yours to select." he said, and the students looked amongst each other, skeptical.

"Doesn't that seem a little bit much for our first day?" Sylvain asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "I would resort to the same basic training I've given to the younger mercenaries in our band, but I was told that our first mission would be to participate in a mock battle at the end of the month." he said, and they began murmuring amongst each other.

"Isn't that a little much? We just started and they want us to fight our friends?" Mercedes asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "I was told it wouldn't be the entire group, just the Professors and a few students. This is why I wish to test you. I want to select the best of you, and after the battle, work with those I didn't select." he explained, and they all found that rather sensible.

"Now, I will have you know that I am not the most expressive man in the world. However, do not take my dead gazes negatively. I would hate to cause a misunderstanding that wasn't on purpose." he said, and Ingrid smiled. "You make it sound as if you're going to antagonize us on purpose." she said, and Cetanu looked to her.

"If I feel like it's the best way to get you to pay attention or push yourself, I will do it. Nothing is off limits to me. If you don't want me to use an aspect of your personality or past against you, or a present insecurity, than do not allow me to discover it." he said, and Dimitri chuckled, a deep sound that caught Cetanu's attention. "I assure you that won't be necessary. We're all equals that treat each other like family." he said, and Dedue nodded in silence.

"That is good. Now, the sun is beginning to set. If any of you have any questions for me, or requests, I will hear them before we depart." he said, and they looked amongst each other.

"Does your… stone face make it hard to flirt with girls?" Sylvain asked, and Cetanu looked to him. "Not at all. Some women are attracted to it, and other women are oddly attracted to the fact that I slay their enemies without a single drop of emotion on my face. I find it odd, but to each their own." he said, and Sylvain laughed, finding his teacher's answer amusing.

"Do you practice the Faith of the Church?" Mercedes asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "I do not. However, in respect for my religious brothers, I have studied the Faith, amongst others of this world." he said, and the girl seemed rather pleased with his answer.

"Do you have any experience with Pegasi?" Ingrid asked, and Cetanu once more shook his head. "Not riding them or fighting on them, no. I however have moderate experience fighting against them and their riders. The issue is that pegasi have large wings that are very easy to pierce or chop off." he said, and Ingrid seemed a little displeased with his cold analysis of the animal.

"What's the coolest spell you've ever learned?" Annette asked, and Cetanu tilted his head slightly. He found it a slightly odd question, but harmless none the less. "A spell to alter the composition of certain materials. For example, this blue dagger I wear isn't made of sapphire, but magickally altered bone from an Ohgma Wolverine I felled in battle when I was younger." he said, and Felix let out a sounds akin to a snicker.

"An Ohgma Wolverine? That sounds highly unlikely." he said, and Cetanu once again shrugged. "My father said the same. However, the beast had one weakness, and that was that it couldn't claw through a shield." he explained, and Felix narrowed his eyes, as if suspicious.

"Is Captain Jeralt truly as fearsome as the tales we hear make him out to be?" Dedue asked, and Cetanu tilted his head. "I can't say. I do know that I've never bested my Father in combat, despite our vastly difference styles and arsenals. His love for fighting on horseback also gives him an advantage over me, to be honest." he said, and Dimitri smiled. "Did you ever hope to take over his band of mercenaries?"

"In truth, no. I am simply a warrior. Leading, negotiating and forging alliances is not my strong suit, at least not right now. My father once said that I was 'scary to little kids, but also too good looking for a nobleman to introduce me to his daughters." he explained, and the class began to laugh.

After they departed, Cetanu noticed something. Throughout the entire time they spent together, the boy he spoke to in the hall, Ashe, was silent. He didn't ask him a silly question about his past or beliefs like the other students. Did he frighten the child when he said that 'Demon' was a good way to describe him?

"Are you really fretting over some child's opinion of you? You're pining harder than a lovestruck schoolgirl!" Sothis screamed in his head, and Cetanu closed his eyes, sitting at his desk going over the documents from Hanneman.

When he did, he felt himself sink, taken to a place deep in his mind where Sothis was as always, sitting high on a stone throne. "I merely worry if he'll tattle to his father or mother about me. An entire noble house coming down on me while I'm here is not ideal for anyone but me." he said, and Sothis rolled her eyes.

"Of course. You're just a wild animal that lives for the chance to kill people." she said, exaggerating her words and gestures to mock him. "You poke fun at me, but have you taken into consideration the fact that I have no physical emotions. I can't express myself properly and it's guaranteed to warp someone's perspective of me." he said, and she sighed. "What are you going to do about it?" she asked, and he bowed his head.

"I do not know. Now that I am aware that I have a Crest, I worry that my Crest will cause averse effects." he said, and Sothis hummed. "Well you won't know until it happens, will you? It's not worth worrying about." she said, folding her arms in a haughty fashion. Cetanu looked to her, and exhaled. "Tomorrow I'll be able to think better. I'm going to gauge them in combat and get to know them. Maybe something will hit me then." he said, and she sighed. "You hope so. Your condition is unique. Perhaps you should ask that Hanneman fellow if he knows anything." she said, and he hummed, Perhaps he would.

Hours later, with sleep fitful and restless, Cetanu traveled to the training grounds, finding them empty of even a lookout at this wee hour. He began to feel relaxed as he snapped the shoulders on his armor, dropping his mantle, arm capes and all, to the ground as he began to move about, throwing punches and kicks at the air to relieve stress. This was his natural habitat. He loved training, combat being the primary way he bonded with everyone from his Father to his fellow mercenaries. It was truly what he knew best, and he hoped that he impart his knowledge on his students, if only one of them.

The first student to arrive at the crack of dawn was Dimitri, accompanied by Dedue. "Professor, I'm surprised to see you here so early." he said, and Cetanu exhaled. "Sleep evades me most nights. Training and meditation help ease my mind and focus my thoughts." he said, and Dimitri smiled. They were soon joined by Ingrid and Felix, who dragged a half asleep Sylvain with them, Cetanu watching his lazed movements.

Ashe, Mercedes and Annette all joined them soon after, and Cetanu looked to the sky. "The objective is to finish by sundown, and then rest. We will do this every other day until the mock battle. On the days we do not meet here, your job is to travel through the monastery doing small tasks. Polish armor, tend to horses. Feed poor children, babysit for hardworking mothers. I do not care." he said, looking amongst his students.

"You will live like a mercenary. Should anyone attempt to pay you, all of the funds you earn will be given directly to me so I may use them to benefit our class, be it buying more armor, weapons, horses or what have you. Are we understood?" he asked, and they all nodded, their posture straight as if they were actual soldiers. "That is good. I have spent quite some time here overnight, loosening up my joints and relaxing my mind to prepare for today. I will call out your name, and you will head to the rack of weapons over there and pick out two weapons. One for yourself, and one for me. I will use whatever weapon you chose, or no weapon at all." he said, looking them over.

The rack he pointed to was filled with rounded, wooden weapons designed for training. However, due to their wooden nature, they couldn't accurately simulate the feel or weight of a weapon made of iron, steel, silver or other materials. Cetanu knew this, but was more concerned with innate technique and skill than the strength needed to maintain such technique with a heavier weapon. He looked over the students, trying to decide who would go first.

"Sylvain. You shall go first." he said, and the red haired noble blinked. "Why me?" he asked, walking over to the rack and looking at it. "It's simple. You were the only one that seemed half awake when they arrived. That lack of energy will mean that you'll be the easiest to deal with." he said, and Sylvain cast a glare over his shoulder. He grabbed two wooden lances, tossing one to Cetanu as he exhaled.

Sylvain took a stance, low and with the point of his lance pointing to the ground. Cetanu however, simply stood still, his lance pointing to the heavens as he waited for Sylvain to take a move. "Lance against Lance? Quite standard fare, don't you think?" he asked, and Sylvain chuckled, surging forward.

Cetanu stepped back, stepping on the tip of Sylvain's lance and holding it down, jerking his wrist so the pommel of his lance would hit Sylvain in the shoulder, making him stumble back a step.

"Your charge was sloppy. A low stance like that let me know that you'd aim low enough for me to stop your lance with my boot." he explained, and Sylvain narrowed his eyes, baring his teeth as he rose back up. "However, there wasn't a lack of power. With such brute force and your unique technique, you might serve best on horseback." he explained, turning to the side and dropping his stance.

He turned the spear, his grip in the middle, to point at Sylvain. Cetanu leapt forward, jabbing out at Sylvain's abdomen. The red haired boy stepped to the side, using the shaft of his lance to throw off Cetanu's trajectory. However, Cetanu turned, his body still airborne, and swiped inwardly, knocking the lance from Sylvain's hands.

"Your defense is respectable." Cetanu said as he rolled to his feet. "Now that you've practiced offense and defense, you need to practice the very fundamentals." he said, taking the same stance as Sylvain did initially. "Match stances with me at close range." he explained, and Sylvain nodded.

With their lance tips crossed, Sylvain looked Cetanu in the eyes. Within his eyes, Sylvain saw nothing. Just empty, dull pools that seemed to peer into his soul and see everything there was to see. Cetanu however, saw the life in Sylvain's eyes, something he was slightly jealous of. "Will you make the first move?" he asked, and Sylvain narrowed his eyes.

Sylvain jabbed his head forward, crashing skulls with Cetanu and making him stumble back, thrusting his lance straight up and disarming Cetanu before swinging down. Cetanu caught the lance between his palms, rolling his arms in a circular motion to wrench the weapon from Sylvain's hands and spin him around, allowing Cetanu to catch him from behind in a chokehold. "Very, very good." he said, releasing Sylvain and grabbing the two lances.

"What you can gain from this, Sylvain, is that your offense needs polishing, but your defense and wit are more than respectable. The fact that you were able to strike and disarm a mercenary was very good." he said, and Sylvain puffed out his chest as he walked back to his classmates.

"Looks like our Professor isn't as scary as you made him seem Dimitri." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head. "One thing you should remember, Sylvain, is modesty. Please look at my face." he said, and Sylvain looked back, noticing that Cetanu's face was completely unscathed, despite the fact that he remembered distinctively slamming his skull into Cetanu's. "Up next is Mercedes." he said, looking to the oldest member of the class.

The young woman seemed a little nervous, stepping forward and looking to the rack of weapons. "I'm not really good at fighting. Are you sure about this?" she asked, and Cetanu nodded, a blank gaze fixed on her. "Of course. If my assumption is correct, and your specialty is healing magick, and your Crest of Lamine does infact benefit this, your training is arguably the most important." he explained, watching her take a pair of wooden swords from the rack, handing one to Cetanu.

Her grip was incredibly soft, and the mercenary could tell that this would be a very interesting training session. "The reason that your training matters is because you aren't a fighter. Mastering at least one weapon, even for basic self defense, will kept everyone in better health." he explained, watching her hold the weapon gingerly, a sloppy dual handed grip that shook ever so slightly.

"Relax. Straighten your posture and hold the blade with one hand. It's not a large enough blade to use two." he said, watching her follow his instructions, albeit slowly. "Very good. Now, your style should be defensive in nature. Are you ready?" he asked, and she nodded, slowly.

Cetanu ran forward, inhaling as he swung upwards, Mercedes cringing in fear, stepping back and avoiding the attack. "You must respond, watch for an opening and strike. Do not be afraid of hurting your enemies." he said, remembering one of the first lessons Jeralt ever taught him.

Mercedes watched Cetanu come down, stepping to the side and jabbing him in the chest. Cetanu feigned a wound, stumbling back and grabbing his chest. "If you wound them, finish them off." he said, and she hesitated, Cetanu able to shake his head and jab forward. Mercedes froze up, a ball of fire flying at Cetanu's left.

Thinking quickly, Cetanu spun to the side, swinging upwards as hard and fast as he could, his wooden blade flying into the sky. He looked to the sky and frowned, his eyes traveling to Annette, who had attacked him instinctively to protect her friend.

"Annette!" Ingrid called, surprised at her friend's actions. Cetanu tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Professor! I was just scared!" she said, and Cetanu looked to the ground, the charred blade smoking on the ground. "Annette, you bear the Crest of Dominic, correct?" he asked, and she nodded. Cetanu's eyes moved from the charred sword. "This is as expected." he said, looking to his right hand, the cloth of his glove singed half off, his hand nearly aflame with pain.

"The two of you will work together in our next training session. Perhaps you can both function as a duo of mages. There are a pair of Gemories in our band that heal our wounded while defending them with offensive magick. If the both of you could train together and work towards this, you might make the most of your friendship, your talents, and your Crests." he explained, and the two seemed surprised.

"You aren't upset I shot a fireball at you?" she asked, and Cetanu leveled a dead stare at her. "Why would I? I was fully aware from meeting you and Mercedes that this was a possibility. The only thing you didn't account for was that I was fast enough to create a small vacuum of air that snuffed out the flames. Enemy commanders should be able to perform similar feats. At least Imperial and Kingdom commanders. The few I've faced from Almyra weren't so quick." he explained, looking to the group.

"Up next is Dedue." he said, looking to the largest member of the class. He stepped forward, axe in hand, and Cetanu rolled his right shoulder, the pain in his hand distracting him ever so slightly. In his left hand was the sword from Mercedes, which he shifted to his right, exhaling at the pain he felt from moving his right hand.

"The current matchup will suffice." Dedue said, and Cetanu nodded, exhaling. Fire had always been his greatest weakness, and having a burnt hand would greatly weaken and distract him. It agitated him, and he made the first move, inhaling as he swung down.

Dedue stepped back, coming down with an immense amount of force. Cetanu rolled, his blade resting on Dedue's shoulder. "Your power is impressive, but your speed leaves much to be desired. I recommend working on your reaction speed to defend against faster opponents." he said, rising back to a vertical base, his teeth grit. "I can see that your hand is burnt." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

"Your vision is impressive. Of course, with your position, I assume that's a necessity." he said, tossing the sword to the side. "Up next, I want Felix and Dimitri to work together." he said, and the swordsman narrowed his eyes, Cetanu fully aware what weapon he'd be using. "Why do I have to work with the boar?" he asked, and Cetanu looked at him.

"Because this is a training exercise. I can easily tell from a single glance at you that you're an agile swordsman, and that Dimitri is a well rounded user of most weapons, with a preference for the lance. This is to determine your weaknesses." he explained, and Felix frowned. "I refuse."

Cetanu nodded. "Ashe, Ingrid, join Dimitri and Felix. I wish to prove a point." he said, and the other two students looked to each other, grabbing a bow and lance from the rack, Cetanu inhaling as the four of them lined up.

"Your individual strengths are important, as is knowing and working around your individual weaknesses. For example, out of everything I've faced, my greatest weakness is Fire. Recovering from burns is a slow process, and when I'm burnt, healing magick doesn't work on me. I assume that's an averse effect of my Crest, but I can't be sure." he said, rolling his neck. He lowered his stance, holding his right hand out and fist clenched, his right hand clenched over his heart.

"However, your individual shortcomings can be patched up with teamwork. This is the reason I have the four of you facing me now. If you can not best an injured, unarmed man as a team, than there is no hope for you on the battlefield." he said, and Felix frowned, charging Cetanu with sword in hand.

Ashe reacted first, launching an arrow at Cetanu to cover Felix, Dimitri and Ingrid moving in behind him. Cetanu stepped back, shifting his stance to the opposite side to avoid the arrow before leaping forward and throwing a flying left kick. Felix barely reacted, stepping to the left at the last second, forcing Ingrid to stop in her charge.

Dimitri jabbed at Cetanu, who rolled to his feet and spun, another arrow from Ashe missing him by a hair, instead pelting Dimitri in the chest. Ingrid had recovered and jabbed at Cetanu, who stomped forward and caught her lance between his left bicep and right hand. He twisted in Felix's direction, snapping her lance and watching Felix's charge.

Cetanu dropped down, ducking under another arrow that flew past him, sweeping Felix's legs out from under him, his sword clattering from his grip. Cetanu rose up quickly and shifted to the side, moving to stomp Felix. Ingrid threw a high kick, Cetanu catching her ankle in his burnt hand.

He spun, tossing her overhead, where she crashed into Dimitri, leaving Ashe the last one standing. He could see the boy shake ever so slightly. "Do not fear. You covered them impressively. Had I not been so well trained, I would have been struck by your arrows and injured, allowing them to actually strike." he explained, and Ashe placed his bow down, clenching his fists as the other three students all rose back to their feet.

"Ingrid and Dimitri had the right idea. Ingrid lacks outward power, but Dimitri can capitalize on that, or Dedue, should she expose an opening. Felix however, was far more concerned on working alone, which can cause problems should he be weaker than his opponent, or end up alone in enemy territory. Now, let's continue." he said, and Ashe briefly looked to the rack of weapons before exhaling.

He called out, a shout that was filled with unease and fear, before charging forward and throwing a right cross. Cetanu stepped back, his stance dropped but posture immaculate. Ashe threw a high left knee, Cetanu shoving his leg down with a palm, Ashe using the momentum to throw a headbutt.

He crashed his skull into Cetanu's, the ebon mercenary stumbling back, letting Ashe throw a right punch that struck him in the jaw. Cetanu, who normally feigned being struck to throw his opponents off, was struggling to focus. He was genuinely struck this time, and his burnt hand only throbbed harder as the smaller boy struck him over and over.

Cetanu tensed his muscles, simply jabbing his left hand out, a palm strike staggering Ashe long enough for Cetanu to snap off his mantle, freeing up his movements a little more as he focused, Ashe not relenting.

As Cetanu began to focus, weaving around Ashe's strikes and moving with much more purpose, he noticed that Ashe's movements were all filled with a wild abandon, as if he was scared. Cetanu wondered if this was because of their conversation, something that he assumed had an affect on the boy.

Cetanu began to enjoy himself, his posture growing more relaxed as he parried blows and watched the boy work himself up. "You're enjoying this far too much!" Sothis said in his mind, Cetanu flipping back and landing on his hands, parrying all of Ashe's blows with his knees and calves despite the searing pain in his right hand. He felt his face twitch, inhaling as he moved.

He caught Ashe's head between his knees, expecting to throw him across the training grounds. However, Ashe, who seemed to be the fastest of the Blue Lions, reacted swiftly, wrapping his arms around Cetanu's waist and driving his skull into the ground. Cetanu grit his teeth as he bounced, using his hands to propel himself back to his feet, his back to the boy as he inhaled. Cetanu heard Ashe's footsteps, keeping his breathing even as he weaved under a punch, sliding back and grabbing Ashe from behind, wrapping a hand around his face and pulling, holding him in a facelock that exposed his neck. "Very, very good." he said, his eyes looking to the boy's exposed neck, Sothis screaming in his head despite him not really hearing her. He released the boy and exhaled.

"You all did well today. I learned plenty about you each. You are all dismissed. I will see you all the day after tomorrow, where you will tell me how you spent the time away from the training grounds." he explained, each of the students nodding as they slowly filed out. "You are an idiot! It's broad daylight in front of the brats! It's bad enough you exposed your weakness to Fire and lack of emotion, you nearly lost it simply sparring with that brat!" Sothis screamed in his head, going on a tirade that Cetanu had no choice but to listen to.

Cetanu found himself in the library later, scouring random books about the history of Fodlan and the Crests of the world. He found most of the information interesting, despite how mundane it was. He continued skimming through many volumes about fishing, hunting, forgotten fighting techniques, and varying academic subjects. He was on his way out of the library, when a certain book's title caught his eye.

On a shelf amongst various books about the Church, was a lone, dusty volume that wasn't often picked up. It's title read 'Those She Forsakes', and on the cover was a skull, surrounded by three more skulls, and then thirteen skulls around them. Cetanu opened the book, tilting his head as he began to read it.

'When the Goddess, the Dark Mother, made her childer, she did not make them all the same. Some were stronger, smarter, and some were kind, and some were not. Giving them all something unique was a form of equality in itself. When her first children, the massive Gods of the world, finally began to intermingle with man and his ancestors, they had rules.' he read, flipping the pages with interest.

'They could not breed. This was the most important rule, amongst others. However, there was another reason. There was forbidden magicks in the world, hidden to the Goddess herself, and her three most powerful childer. Their names are not known, but the oldest ancestors of man called them thusly; The Sky Dragon, The Dark Dragon and the Grim Dragon. It is said that the three of them came to blows over this, because the Goddess scolded them for one thing.' he continued, noticing the sunlight receding from the halls.

'The Grim Dragon had had a child with the daughter of man. This child was a beast, and had many struggles in life, leading the Dark Dragon to end that life. The Sky Dragon, the oldest and most beautiful of the Goddess' childer, was enraged, and is said to have struck him and his descendants down, and made his power her own. The Grim Dragon was later struck down by man, and his flesh and blood used by mankind, that magick lost to the world. However, it is said that the Sky Dragon had ingested his blood, and taken his power for her own once more.'

'Thus, the Sky Dragon was granted power to rival even her mother, the First. With this power, she strove to change the world, and unify it in devotion to her mother, but she failed. Her mother was struck down, and the Sky Dragon was forced to attempt to revive her with those same lost magicks. Of course, she failed, but it is said that the greatest scourge to humankind, were the thirteen creatures she created from her own blood and the blood of her kin. They were known as Blood Demons, and they each had a name.'

Cetanu found himself reading as he walked back to his quarters. He hadn't eaten at all, but that didn't really bother him. He wasn't much of one for dining anyhow. He noticed on his walk back, that Ashe was heading back to his room, which wasn't far from Cetanu's own. He made a mental note of that, as the child was by far the most impressive of the group, if only when fueled by fear and adrenaline.

'The youngest of these was known as The Scholar. He strived to create world united in knowledge, but was struck down by one of his brothers, The Hidden. This brother was a monster in guise, said to be cursed by the Goddess for desiring a child. Then there was the Artist, said to be the Demon that created instruments and melodies that can elicit sadness. The Artist was captivated by her own work however, and was tricked by her brother, The Mad into staring at a sculpture.'

'The Mad was an insane liar, and told The Artist to stand in the sun, where the sons of man found her and struck her down. He was soon told a lie by a man said to be his reflection in a lake, that led him to the same fate.'

'Then, The Reaper was a Demon said to have taught man how to perform funerary rights before being struck down by one of his disciples. The Noble was a Demon said to have been the first King of Mankind, and introduced the ideal of nobility and social monarchy to humans, before he was struck down by The Assassin, one of his brothers that was devout to keeping themselves hidden from humans.'

'The Assassin, The Hidden, and their sister, The Beast, a demon said to have taught humans how to tame all manners of beasts, were said to have been struck down by the Sky Dragon, who was enraged that they were failed attempts at bringing the Dark Mother back to this world. Of course, it is said that she also struck down her lesser known children, The Magician, The Heathen, The Merchant and The Healer.'

'Each of these children were struck down by their grief stricken mother for being too kind to humans, those who took the Dark Mother from the world. Teaching humans trading, magick, medicine and religion were sins to the great Sky Dragon, who is said to have faded from time before she could strike down her final child. Her oldest childe, her strongest childe, her most vile childe. A monster of immense power that mastered the very dark arts even the great Sky Dragon could not. This childe, who is said to have never spoken before, or even smiled, is known only to a handful of living beings, as The Fiend.'

Cetanu glanced out of his window, noticing that night had long since fallen. He turned back to the book, finding the last sentence immensely interesting. A monster that couldn't smile? He found this important, and turned the page, only to find the next page torn away, something that caused him to clench his fists in anger. He inhaled and relaxed, exhaling slowly as he merely read the page that remained.

'They were all monstrous, all inhuman, and all unique. They were called Blood Demons simply for their unique diet, which was almost exclusively that of blood. The blood of man, of beasts, it mattered not. The only thing that kept them sane was drinking blood, and it's said that the reason is that the Sky Dragon made them from blood, and that was what allowed their unnatural, monstrous existences to continue. It is also said that consuming blood is what kept their wounds closed, and was the only way that the Demons could heal wounds of fire. Of course, this is all hearsay, as none have concrete evidence of the existence of any of these figures from time immemorial.' he read, closing the blood and leaning back in his chair.

"Well, that was quite a tale. Blood drinking Demons that cared for mankind and were struck down by their vicious mother?" Sothis mused, and Cetanu nodded. "That missing page was about The Fiend, the demon without a smile." he said, and she blinked. "You can't possibly think that your condition has to do with this fictitious book, do you?" she asked incredulously.

Cetanu shrugged. "I don't know, but I do know one thing. Tomorrow, I will ask Rhea about it." he said, and Sothis made a face. "Why her?" she asked, and Cetanu exhaled, rising from his desk. "Because if anyone knows about the direct grandchild of the Goddess, it's the Archbishop."


	4. Romans 8:13

With the sun rising on the horizon, Cetanu decided that he would return the few documents he had from Hanneman. The Crest Scholar was an immense help, offering his entire body of research to Cetanu. He was able to figure out which of his students had crests, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that six of his eight students bore the supernatural bloodline abilities. The two that didn't, Ashe and Dedue, made up for it in raw physical ability.

As Cetanu walked through the Monastery, towards the second floor where both Hanneman and Rhea would be, he began to catch a pleasant smell. It was the smell of a fresh, hot meal being cooked, and the mercenary had to admit that he was hungry. He didn't eat often, as the food he was accustomed to would either slow him down or upset his stomach, but whatever was wafting his way smelt rather appetizing.

Walking through the halls, he nodded to random, faceless students and soldiers, finding it rather odd that he was around so many people. He could recognize his former mercenary brothers and sisters, who were now clad in the ivory armor of the Knights of Seiros, something Cetanu chose not to don. He was able to pick out many details at a glance, his senses honed by his father's training.

"How are you today, Professor?" he heard, glancing to his left to see Dorothea sitting at a table, sending him a look that he knew was accompanied by foul intentions. "I am well, thank you for asking. Is today a day of rest, or are you learning outside the classroom?" he asked, choosing to engage the girl in conversation.

"Professor Manuela isn't up for teaching today, so Seteth told us to spend time around the monastery making ourselves useful. Infact, I was just performing for a few of the new Knights." he said, and Cetanu blinked.

"Performing? You're a songstress?" he asked, and she blinked. "How could you tell I was a songstress right away?" she asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "Between the definition of your neck, and your unique way of wearing the uniform, I surmise that you perform for an acting troupe or an opera house, and that in real combat, you prefer to use magick over physical combat." he said, and she blinked again. "I'm impressed, Professor. We should spend more time together." she said with a wink before departing, leaving Cetanu staring after her, mentally sighing and shaking his head.

When he reached Hanneman's office, the older man was sitting at his desk, studying what seemed to be a sketch of Cetanu's Crest. "Have you learned anything of my Crest?" he asked, and Hanneman popped up, a smile under his mustache. "Ah, Professor! Please, come in." he said, Cetanu bowing in respect.

"I'm returning the materials I borrowed. They are quite interesting and helped me quite a bit." he said, and Hanneman seemed to smile even broader. "I'm thrilled to hear that! Did it help you strategize for the mock battle?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Of course. The only issue lies in their individual shortcomings. The Crest of Fraldarius being on Felix is quite amusing, as your material referred to it as the 'Shield Dragon Sign'." he said, and Hanneman chuckled.

"Those names are mere epithets I dreamed up in a daze. Of course, you are free to interpret them differently. Perhaps we could come to some form of breakthrough on the origin of Crests from your own research." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "What interested me is that one of the names you used for a Crest is in another old book I found in the library." he said, showing Hanneman the book he read last night.

Hanneman opened the book and flipped through it, humming as he read at an inhuman pace. "The Grim Dragon? That's the name I thought of for the Crest of Bladdiyd. Does this puzzle you?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "The book tells a story where the Grim Dragon is one of three elite children of the Goddess, with the Sky Dragon and the Dark Dragon." he explained, and Hanneman hummed. "Amongst my records, there is a lost Crest, called in cryptic scrolls the Crest of Timotheos. I chose to call that one the Dark Dragon Sign." he explained, and Cetanu scratched his chin, trying to use physical actions to express himself.

"Are there any living bearers of that Crest?" he asked, and Hanneman shook his head. "Not that I can find. It's odd, as there are multiple Crests I can't find a living bearer for, or a true origin. It's as if these Crests exist only in historic text." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "Perhaps they are offshoots of existing Crests. For example, these two Crests look alike." he said, pulling two sketches off of a board.

"The Crest of Chevalier and Reigan? They do bear some similarities." Hanneman said, deep in thought. Cetanu thought of the book, and inhaled. "Professor Hanneman, if the Goddess gave the Crests to humans, would it be possible for her most powerful child to do the same, especially in an attempt to duplicate the Goddess' own power?" he asked, and Hanneman looked at him oddly, like he was insane. "Are you suggesting that the Goddess birthed a child that could create similar power to Crests, and that these lost Crests might be failed attempts at duplicating the Crests we know of?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged.

"If possible. This book enthralled me to be quite honest. It spoke of the Sky Dragon, driven to insanity by grief at the loss of her mother. It says that she created artificial beings with not only her own blood, but the blood of her other divine brethren. For example, if you were to give blood to Dedue, what would happen?" he asked, and Hanneman scratched his chin.

"It is likely that he would possibly manifest a Minor Crest of Indech such as myself." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "But what if someone who bore say a Minor Crest of Lamine was given blood by someone with a Major Crest? Would a second Crest manifest in that person?" he asked, and Hanneman narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Why does this interest you so Professor?" he asked, and Cetanu tilted his head. "It merely piques my interest for combat and medical reasons. If I have a Crest bearer who needs a transfusion, I don't want to endanger their life by using the blood of another Crest bearer. Do remember that my class has six Crest bearers." he said, and Hanneman nodded, as if convinced of something.

"Two crests could not exist in one body, even if it was one as well honed as yours, Captain Jeralt's, or any of our students. Sadly, that much divine power would overwhelm the body, starting with the nervous system, and wreck you from the inside out. If you could survive, you would die quickly due to the strain it would place upon your body and mind." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

"I do apologize greatly if my questions seemed unnerving or malevolent in nature. You are merely the only person who shares my interest in Crests. Do call upon me if you make a breakthrough regarding my Crest, Professor." he said, bowing respectfully before leaving.

"You made yourself sound like a mad scientist! A deranged occultist! What were you thinking!?" Sothis screamed in his head, and Cetanu exhaled. "I merely asked questions. I understand they were increasingly odd or specific, but I had hoped to learn as much as I could about Crests, since they've never mattered before yesterday." he said, and Sothis sighed, shaking her head.

"You are really acting out of character. Normally you're quiet and reserved but here you are about to enter the Audience Chamber to talk to the religious leader of the entire country about a book." she said, and Cetanu exhaled. "I do understand, but I need to do more than just eat, sleep and swing a sword for money." he said, knocking on the door before being granted entry.

He was met with the same beautiful smile and face as the past two days, something that made him wish so greatly that he could smile back at her. "Professor, to what do I owe this visit?" she asked, and Cetanu bowed, dropping to a knee.

"Pardon the Disturbance My Lady, but I was wondering if you could enlighten me on something." he said, and she smiled. "Of course Child. Rise, there is no need to bow before me." she said, that silky voice drawing Cetanu to his feet. "I was looking through books about the Faith of the Church, and funerary practices, prayer rituals and the like, and I stumbled upon this book." he said, and she looked to the book, no emotion passing over her face. "And what about it troubles you?" she asked, and he tilted his head ever so slightly.

"There is a missing page pertaining to a specific character in the book. You are aware of the many different ways the Goddess is venerated I am sure, but why is this the only book in the entire library that speaks of her children?" he asked, and Rhea didn't miss a beat.

"The different forms of worship and belief each weave a different tale. However, in the end they all agree on one thing. That the Goddess created everything. The texts might call everything from mankind, to dogs, cats and even supernatural beasts her children. I am sure it's nothing worth fretting over." she said, and he wanted to believe her.

"I see. The only reason this story gripped me so is because of it's darker, sad tone. It speaks of the Goddess and her children being slain by humans, and her final remaining child creating inhuman, blood drinking creatures in a failed attempt to bring her mother back." he said.

When he said this, the slightest glint of a different emotion flashed over Rhea's face. Cetanu couldn't pinpoint what it was, but he knew that the words he spoke stirred her, if only slightly. "However, these blood drinking attempts were also slain, either by each other, by man, or by their own creator. However, the missing page is what captivates me." he explained, and she remained near unmoving. "The names is gives to each of the creatures she creates are epithets I'm sure, but the one that's missing, that the book claims might still to this day wander the earth, is the most confusing."

Cetanu noticed that she made no attempt to respond, only calmly listening to him, like a mother listening to her child speak about their day at school. "You see, this final character in the story is like me. A being said to be demonic, quiet, and most importantly, incapable of smiling. In all of your years practicing and teaching the Faith, have you ever heard even the most lowly peasant speak of a character called The Fiend?" he asked.

Rhea's expression, for a split second that an untrained eye wouldn't catch, scowled. As if the mention of the name sickened her, letting Cetanu know full well that she knew something. This fueled Cetanu, and he knew that he'd have to prod further, regardless of consequences. He had to learn more about a nameless, blank faced monster, something he'd been called ever since he took his first life. "I can't say I have. Why does this character mean so much to you?" she asked, the same tone, same smile on her face.

Cetanu exhaled. "Forgive me if I've wasted your time. I merely wish to make the most of my time here at the Monastery, and when I saw a book like this with a character that reminded me so much of myself, I allowed it to get to my head. I only wish to learn more so that I might cure my stony face. It is difficult to enjoy myself when I can not smile."

Cetanu watched Rhea's face soften up more. He hated lying, but his unmoving face and dead gaze allowed him to do so flawlessly. All he had to do was shift the tone of his voice slightly and make a few exaggerated gestures and everyone believes he was a tortured soul that yearned for the same expressions they had. While that was true, in this instance it was used as a diversion, and one that worked.

"Do not worry so, Child. Just have Faith, and the Goddess will light your way. I will pray for you as well. I wish to see you smile as well. Your face is far too handsome to remain so stoic." she said, and he wanted to beam like a giddy child at her compliment, or at the least blush.

"Thank you so much My Lady. I do hope that you permit me to visit you when something troubles me. Your counsel is a great help." he said, bowing once more. She let out a soft laugh, placing a hand on his shoulder, her touch soft, but on purpose.

It was then that Cetanu knew. She wasn't some dainty beauty in a snow white dress that prayed her life away. She was a warrior. He could feel the immense power that flowed from her hand, and knew in that moment that if he were to attack her, that she would dominate and defeat him without a single bit of effort. "It's all right Child. You may visit me whenever you wish." he said, and Cetanu nodded before departing, trying to keep his physical form in tact. He needed to train to clear his thoughts. He knew that Rhea was incredibly powerful, and it made her all the more mesmerizing to him.

Passing the offices on the second floor, Cetanu noticed Seteth sitting at his desk, a frustrated look on his face. Trying to distract himself from everything and get back on track, he entered the room quietly. "Something troubling you?" he asked, and Seteth looked up to him, a scowl crossing his features before he blinked and then sighed.

"If you aren't aware, Professor Manuela is a very, very heavy drinker. She drank so much that one of her students had to carry her back to her quarters last night. It's derailed the entire day. I couldn't ask Hanneman, as he's doing a lecture with his class in two hours. The Black Eagle House is quite literally goofing off today, and it's because that woman can't drink more modestly." he said, and Cetanu exhaled.

He understood Seteth's position, and despite his previous disdain for the man, he knew that he couldn't be tasked with doing everything alone. "If you send a Knight or two to round them up and send them to their classroom, I could at least hold a debate about some form of combat with them. My class are doing odd jobs around the monastery for the day before we meet tomorrow to train." he said, and Seteth looked to him.

"You'd teach another class in her stead? Why?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "Boredom. This mock battle isn't going to be any fun if one of the professors is stumbling about drunk, I could at least sharpen the minds of my opponents, and then try to speak to Manuela." he said, and Seteth sighed. "Consider it done. If you'd like, I'll give them an hour to gather incase you desire something to eat along the way." he said, and Cetanu nodded respectfully.

Sitting together in the classroom, the Black Eagles seemed rather confused. "I don't get it? I dragged Professor Manuela back to her room last night, why are we here?" Caspar asked, and Ferdinand hummed to himself. "Perhaps Seteth decided to teach us himself today." and Lindhardt sighed. "I hope not. He's quite a drag to listen to." he said. "And what does that make me?" they heard, turning to see Cetanu walking into the room, exhaling.

"Professor!" Dorothea exclaimed, excited to see the ebon mercenary. He sat at the desk, leaning forward and looking the group over with a rather dead stare. "Seteth informed me that Manuela is incapacitated at the moment, so I volunteered to banter with you for a couple hours, just to meet status quo." he explained, looking to the class.

"Tell me, what is everyone's favorite weapon?" he asked, looking to each other them. "I use my fists! And if they wanna wear armor I'll chop it right off with my axe!" Caspar declared, rather loudly. "I too prefer the Axe, although I do have plenty of experience with Lances as well." Ferdinand said.

"You were right earlier when you guessed that I used magick. Of course, mine is Black Magick." she said, referring to the umbrella term for all elemental magick. "I use White Magick myself. I detest the sight of blood." Lindhardt said, and Cetanu didn't seem surprised.

"I am using the Sword. It's swiftness is most desirable." Petra said, Cetanu wondering how different the girl's technique would be from everyone else. "I use whatever is best suited for the scenario, but of course my forte is Dark Magick." Hubert explained, and Cetanu nodded.

He wasn't surprised that the magick his father called 'an evil pain in the ass' was the dark haired man's specialty. "I use primarily Axes. Of course, I am open to whatever weapon is placed in my hand." Edelgard said, and Cetanu nodded, noticing that Bernadetta said nothing.

"Bernadetta, you're the class Archer, aren't you?" he asked, and she peaked her small head up from her hiding place and nodded. "I assumed as much. It seems that each House's primary archer are all similar in that they're the smallest member of their sex in their house. The same is true of Ignatz and Ashe." he said, and he tilted his head.

"Tell me Professor, the mock battle is coming up. Why would you agree to help us in any way when it might cost your team the victory?" Edelgard asked, and Cetanu tilted his head. "I was informed that the battle would be the Professors and choice students. If your Professor is unreliable, as Seteth says she is, you will all need to make up for the vast difference in skill and power that loss will make. If I come to blows with any of you, I want it to be as fun as possible." he said, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Are you implying that you'd best each of us in single combat?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Unless I face at least five of you at once, at least two of you using offensive magic, I will be victorious at least ninety percent of the time." he explained.

"With all due respect but that seems like arrogance on your part." Ferdinand said, and Cetanu shrugged. "Perhaps it is. However, I can tell by looking in your eyes which ones of you have taken a life. The light in your eyes grows dimmer and dimmer the more lives you're forced to take. That is why my Father's gaze is nearly as dead as mine." he said, and they all seemed unnerved.

"Your statement implies that you have more kills than even the legendary Jeralt the Blade Breaker." Hubert said, and Cetanu shook his head. "He normally matches me in victories on the battlefield. However, as I am unable to express myself as I desire, my eyes appear much more dead, and my gaze is much more soulless, hence my statement." he said, making sure to maintain eye contact.

"Why can't you smile and stuff? Is it a disease?" he asked, and Cetanu inhaled. "I'm not sure honestly. My father says I've never smiled. I've tried purposefully of course, but my face just doesn't move." he said, and Lindhardt looked his way, half asleep. "Could it be a negative effect of your Crest?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head.

"I have no idea what Crest I have, and neither does Hanneman. I doubt that's related. Perhaps I haven't had an honest reason to smile. My life was rather dull outside of combat." he said, and he noticed a look in their eyes. It was an odd cross of fear and pity, a look he was accustomed to.

"I do want you to know that whichever ones of you are chosen by Professor Manuela will have a very tough time against My Blue Lions. I've already picked out their weaknesses and will work on patching them up tomorrow." he said, confident in their strength.

"I find it hard to believe that you could train them so well in only a few weeks. I've been practicing my noble style for my entire life." Ferdinand said, and Cetanu exhaled, a failed chuckle. "In a one on one matchup, you would lose to Dimitri and Ashe. Depending on the exact scenario you might even suffer defeat from Felix as well." he said, and Ferdinand blinked. "Surely you can't believe that? Dimitri lacks the technique I have and no commoner can match my noble training." he said, and Cetanu shrugged as he rose from his seat, looking at the room and it's inhabitants carefully.

"Dimitri has more humility, which will allow him to sink to lower depths to claim the victory, something you couldn't bring yourself to do. And as for Ashe, his innate speed and combat prowess are very impressive. Of course, if you still don't believe that a commoner without a usable Crest can defeat you in battle, perhaps you'd like to take this lesson to the training grounds." he said, and Ferdinand looked to Cetanu.

They were roughly even in height, and Ferdinand wagered that his shoulders were broader, and his arms longer. However, something about Cetanu's very being told Ferdinand that it would be pointless to challenge him. He felt sweat trail down his neck. "No thank you Professor."

Cetanu then dropped down to his haunches and looked at Bernadetta, who screeched. "EEP! Go away!" she screeched, and Cetanu shook his head. "If Manuela doesn't choose you, I will personally suggest to them that we play a game where we transfer students from House to House and when you end up in mine I will work you to the bone and lock you out of your own room." he said, and she screeched. "Why are you s-so mean!" She squealed, tearing up slightly.

He rose to his feet and patted her small purple head. "I jest of course. But if you are chosen, the only victory you could get in single combat is against Mercedes or maybe Annette." he said, humming as he walked past Lindhardt. "With your lack of desire, if Manuela chooses you, you wouldn't get a single victory." he said, and Lindhardt seemed to be slightly offended.

"You tryna say we couldn't win the mock battle!?" Caspar shouted, and Cetanu shook his head. "Not at all. If my students fall then my House would be defeated, whether I continue fighting or not. However, you would fall in battle against Dimitri, Dedue, Ashe and maybe even Felix. Provided you attack quietly or quickly, you could probably best the rest of my house. Your small stature might make you one of the bigger threats if I'm being candid." he said, and Caspar grit his teeth, not sure if he should take that as a compliment or an insult.

Edelgard found this analysis rather interesting. "And what f the rest of us?" she asked, and Cetanu rubbed his chin. "Dorothea would likely defeat Mercedes and Annette as well thanks to her more combat suited physique. She would also be able to easily use her charm to defeat Sylvain, so I pray Manuela doesn't think of that." he said, looking to Edelgard and Hubert.

"You two are easily my biggest obstacles. I could best you both in combat of course, but my students might have trouble. I fully believe that if your magick can't be used at the same speed and range as a fist, that someone fast enough to close in on you would have a decent chance at victory." he said, scratching his head.

"Running scenarios through my head, the only member of my House I see being able to consistently disarm, out speed, out power or otherwise outmatch you is Ashe. Besides him, perhaps Dimitri, or if Dedue has a shield that can withstand magick." he mused, looking to Edelgard and Petra.

"Petra would also be an issue for us. Annette, Mercedes, Sylvain are givens of course. I have yet to see you in battle, but you might be able to best Felix in single combat if you catch him off guard. I would very much like to see you battle Ingrid in single combat though. That would be most entertaining." he said, and Petra narrowed her eyes slightly.

"You are telling us the weakness of your House. Is this not a bad idea?" she asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "I speak as if the battle was tomorrow. Giving me two weeks of variables would change every statement." he said, turning back around. "Which brings me to the Princess." he said, tilting his head.

"Unless you're caught off guard by magick, which I doubt you'll defeat a large number of my team. I can tell that you have experience. However, it will come down to one of four scenarios." he said, and Edelgard listened closely, finding that combat made the 'Gargoyle Man' rather talkative.

"First, you'll end up in combat against me and fall. Secondly, you'll end up in combat against Dimitri and fall. Thirdly, you'll defeat Dimitri and seize victory for your house." he said, and glanced out the window. "And the fourth?" she asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "I train one of my students to specifically counter you and you fall to them." he said, and Edelgard smiled, a haughty look that Cetanu didn't really like.

"You truly consider me that much of a threat for a simple mock battle?" she asked, and Cetanu rolled his neck, finding himself stiff from standing around talking. "Of course. A mock battle is still a battle. For all I know the information from the mock battle could come in useful in an actual war." he said, and she narrowed her eyes, as if suspicious of his words.

He could tell, and glanced out the door, seeing where the shadows on the ground resided. "I can see how the time has passed. I will be heading to the training ground to get my training in for the day. You may feel free to join me. Another person to spar with is always welcome." he said, able to feel their gazes on him as he left.

On the way to the training grounds, Cetanu passed his father in the halls. "How've you been doing?" Jeralt asked, the two stopping briefly to chat. "I'm alright. I offered to spend a little time with the Black Eagle House, since Professor Manuela is apparently too hung over." he said, and Jeralt chuckled. "Do you know where she is? One of our guys wanted me to tell her that it's best if they don't go on another date. She must been one handful of a woman." he said, and Cetanu hummed. "I'll pass the message along. Her quarters are on the way to the training grounds anyway." he said, the two nodding to each other before setting back off.

Walking the second floor of the dormitory, an odd place for a teacher to reside, Cetanu found the door that Seteth said was Manuela's. He knocked on the door three times, his sharp hearing picking up the sounds of a body moving about. "Who is it?" he heard, the words partially slurred. "It's Cetanu. I've come to check on you in Seteth's stead." he said, and she immediately sounded more awake. "I'll be right there!" she said, sounding a bit more chipper than before. She made quite a ruckus as she moved about, making it sound as if she was tripping over an unkempt floor full of who knows what.

"Damn it… my drinking caught up to me again." she said, and Cetanu folded his arms. How long did it take to stand up and open a door? The mercenary had never been drunk before, and wondered if even a refined performer like Manuela could be dragged to such pitiful depths. "Damn it where's that robe? And where did I put my underwear!?" she asked, and Cetanu blinked.

"This woman is a sad show to say the least." Sothis said, and Cetanu mentally rolled his eyes. "If she struggles long enough I'll simply break her door down and take her right there. How would you feel about that?" he asked, and Sothis' face almost began to glow red with how hard she blushed. "Y-you are terrible!"

When the door opened, Manuela was wearing a robe over herself, like something you'd see in a bath house. "Professor? To what do I owe the visit?" she asked, walking out of her room.

"I came in Seteth's stead. He wished to come down here and scold you like an angered father for getting drunk and not showing up to teach your students." he said, and Manuela rolled her eyes, exhaling. "Figures. I swear that old bastard doesn't know how to have fun." she said, and Cetanu folded his arms.

"I won't yell at you for him. I also took care of the matter of your students. I held a little debate with them to get them psyched for the mock battle. I assume most of them will be at the training grounds when I arrive, as they don't seem satisfied when I told them that they will most likely lose." he said, and Manuela rose a brow.

"Is that a jab at my teaching ability?" she asked, a smirk on her plump lips. Cetanu wished he could smirk back, finding bantering with Manuela rather entertaining. "If you desire it such. I am here with a message from one of my old Mercenary brothers turned Knight of Seiros however." he said, and her face began to light up. "The one I went on a date with last night?" she asked, and Cetanu nodded.

"The same. He says that you were quite the handful, and that it's best if the two of you don't have a second date." he said, and she sighed, seeming rather sad. "I should've figured. It's not like he's the first or last that's said that." she said, and Cetanu exhaled. "Perhaps you should take a break from such activity. I heard from some students on my way here that tomorrow evening is a Choir performance, and they need a pair of leads to sing a song about Saint Indech. Perhaps that would be a good way to spend your night." he said, and she looked to him.

She rose a brow. "And I assume the other lead they're looking for is a man, right?" she asked, and he nodded. "As expected. From my observation, the best suited for a role singing front and center would be either Ferdinand or Lorenz from Hanneman's class." he said, and she began to leer at him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, the robe falling open ever so freely and catching Cetanu's gaze. "If I can't get the little Aegir kid to do it, would you be willing to do it, Professor? I think it'd be really interesting if we sang together." she said, and Cetanu grit his teeth, resisting carnal urges he wasn't used to feeling, living a life full of combat. He leaned closer to her, their noses almost touching. "I'd be delighted, Lala." he said, her surprise at the nickname allowing Cetanu to slip away like a ghost, leaving her smiling after him.

When he arrived to the training ground, later than he wanted, he noticed that quite a few people were there. This agitated him, but he chose to sit cross legged in a corner and watch varying mercenaries and knights train both with each other and the students. Most of the Black Eagles were there, as Cetanu had anticipated, training like they were going out for revenge, something that amused the ebon mercenary.

As Jeralt headed towards his office, he was stopped by Hanneman. Jeralt didn't know the former noble very well, but he knew that the man wasn't all bad. "Captain Jeralt, do you have a moment? I would like to speak to you about Cetanu." he requested, and Jeralt nodded.

"What's up with my kid?" he asked, and Hanneman hummed, scratching the hairs on his chin. "I'm not entirely sure to be honest. He came to me and asked me many odd, specific questions about someone having two Crests, and about a book that seems to have slight relations to my research of lost, extinct Crests." he said, and Jeralt shrugged.

"Cetanu is a weird kid. Never smiled, never cried. Although, I'm not sure why he'd ask about Crests like that. Is there something wrong with that?" he asked, and Hanneman again seemed puzzled. "I welcome it, but he asked about a being having two Crests, and we have a student here, Lysithea of House Ordelia in my class. She is a scientific anomaly, as she does infact have two Crests. However, her family paid the church quite a handsome bribe to not tell a soul about it. I was wondering if you knew how he'd be onto something like that." he asked, and Jeralt shook his head.

"Not at all. Infact, I never even told him about Crests at all. He's always been incredibly curious though. I'd wager that he's probably at the training grounds thinking up ways of beating everyone in single combat, even you." he said, and Hanneman seemed taken aback by this.

"Ah, there you are." Seteth said as he approached, the duo looking to the moss haired man. "Lady Rhea says that Professor Cetanu came to her, enthralled over some book. It seems to have unsettled her, and I was wondering if you knew where he was." he asked, and Jeralt sighed.

"Would the book happen to be about a Child of the Goddess creating children after the Goddess dies to revive her in some form? The one that speaks of the Goddess' Children as Dragons?" he asked, and Seteth narrowed his eyes, but nodded.

"I see. He came to me because he wondered if the lost Crests that have no known bearers were a result of that Demigods actions, as he viewed the book as a form of historic religious text." he said, and Seteth frowned.

"Regardless, he still allowed a book to get him so enthralled that he came to the Archbishop during a prayer and unnerved her with his zeal. All over some blood drinking, blank faced monster character in a book. See to it that it doesn't happen again, Captain Jeralt." he said, a scowl across his features.

"If Rhea has a problem with him, tell her to go to Cetanu herself. He's a grown man, and just like me, he wonders why he can't express himself. Do you know what it's like when you watch your child take their first life and all they can do is stare? When they don't cry even at the death of a friend? Do you?" he asked, and Seteth hesitated, Hanneman shaking his head and sighing as he headed back to his own office. Seteth merely grit his teeth and turned away, leaving Jeralt agitated and wondering exactly what effect the Monastery was having on his son.


	5. Matthew 7:7

That night, in the wee hours, instead of heading to the training grounds, Cetanu instead headed to the library, searching the near infinite texts for something related to the book he read earlier. He couldn't find anything pertaining to the children of the Goddess, or about their children, but he did find a single book about Blood Demons, located on a shelf near the ceiling that he had to climb quite a few steps to reach.

"Shouldn't you get some sleep? Honestly, this stuff can't be that interesting." Sothis said in his head. He exhaled, reading the title of the book. "Unfortunately, this has me far too enthralled for sleep. Do understand that if I can learn about this character, maybe even the author of these tall tales, I can solve the mystery of my unmoving face." he said.

The book's title read 'Demon Slaying: A Guide To Repelling The Darkness'. Cetanu flipped through the pages, choosing to read the book on his walk to the training grounds to wait for his students. Sothis remained quiet, but he could picture her pouting on her stony chair.

'The Demons, a vile race of creatures that prey on the weak wills of man and feast upon his flesh and blood, have weaknesses. These weaknesses must be exploited, as they are far too strong for even a trained knight to match in single combat.' it read, Cetanu glancing up and looking about, noticing that the Monastery was incredibly peaceful at these week hours, something that he rather enjoyed.

'Each of them could do foul magicks, and it became a necessity that it be documented and listed for anyone ho wished to aid in slaying these beasts. Of course, we noticed that only certain areas had certain Demons, and so we have classed them into clans, named and explained thusly.'

'Firstly are the Madmen, monstrous, insane demons with the power to destroy the minds of their victims. This makes them both difficult and simple to deal with. Some of them are paranoid and will lash out at anything that moves, while others can be manipulated and killed with little issue.' he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes.

"You noticed it as well?" Sothis asked, and Cetanu nodded. "The Madmen in this book are similar to The Moon, the Blood Demon created by the Sky Dragon in the other book." he said, and Sothis nodded as they continued reading.

'Another group of Demons confused some of us. Despite feasting regularly on our flesh and blood, they still looked sickly, hungry, deathly. They performed sickening magicks upon the dead to try and reanimate their victims. We were glad to confirm their extinction of course, but it was still horrifying at the time.'

"Again." Sothis said. "This one can be compared to The Grim Reaper who was killed by it's own disciples. If we find one more similarity, then I know that it isn't just a single tall tale. The authors and paper are from different times and regions. Even the handwriting is different." he said, and Sothis nodded, finally realizing that Cetanu was on to something.

'There are others, but they've managed to elude us and hide their magick. We've seen Blood Demons that tame beasts and sleep in the earth, but not enough of them to claim that they are entire clans. Although, there was a single Demon we ran into that terrified each and every Slayer that encountered it, and very few even survived.' it read, Cetanu tilting his head.

'It was quiet, and it was never the same thing twice. It was like the thing could shift it's form, sometimes appearing as an animal, a man, a girl, neither, both, one body, two, sometimes it was encountered as a sentient pool of blood. This monster that was seemingly devoid of consciousness, and was able to sculpt itself was called The Fleshcrafter.' it read, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes.

'It could morph and sculpt and craft flesh to it's will. Once, a Slayer sent his hunting hounds after it, and they were mutated on contact, their own bones twisting and shifting to kill them from the inside out, their corpses molded into hideous, bone armored ghouls that it could use to express itself.'

'No matter what form it took, one thing was the same; it couldn't be stopped. It crafted anything with a physical form to it's will. One account says that The Fleshcrafter even morphed a single rock into a human being, completely functional like they were born and matured naturally. The only thing that the monster couldn't alter was it's own mind, which was likely a hideous place.'

'This thing appeared once, and only once, in the form of a man with skin white as bone, long hair like ropes down to his knees and a twisted face that looked like a diabolical clown. All who encountered The Fleshcrafter in this state soon died, but the lone man who wrote of this ancient encounter said that a sickening, ear splitting noise rung through his head like the bells of a church, and that while the creature's face appeared to be smiling, it's actual mouth was a straight line.'

"Oh my goodness..." Sothis trailed, Cetanu's grip on the book causing the pages to crumple and begin to tear. This was it. In his entire time alive, he searched randomly through libraries and treasuries and sacked villages for something that might cure his lack of emotion. Something that would let him smile at his Father's prideful compliments, cry at the loss of his brothers in arms, feel anger at his enemies, and something that would let him do it outwardly.

This was it. This Fleshcrafting monster was obviously The Fiend, a monstrous creature that still lived, silent, unsmiling and desiring possibly the same thing he did. He yearned to find something connecting them directly, and he knew that Rhea knew something. He wouldn't prod further today, but slowly, he'd crack her barriers and learn the truth about himself.

As the sun began to come through her windows, Rhea exited her room to find Seteth waiting for, as expected. "What bothers you, Seteth? Normally you meet me with a smile." she said, and he sighed, the scowl he had before leaving his face. "It's this new Professor. Surely you must view him as an issue now?" he asked, and she sighed.

"He is asking the most peculiar questions, but as you informed me yesterday, he is doing a rather good job at teaching and training the students. You must have Faith, Seteth. All will be well." she said, and Seteth shook his head, falling in line as Rhea began walking. "I will try, but if he is found to continue looking into… well, let's just say I will have to take action."

When the Blue Lions reached the training grounds, the saw Cetanu, who seemed deep in thought, training. They chose to remain silent, watching his body as he moved flawlessly, transitioning between many stances and styles as if they were mere fragments of one, singular form of martial art. They watched him throw one right straight, a heavy punch that looked like a battering ram.

The force of the blow was incredible as it seemed to send a gust of wind outward from Cetanu's arm that rustled their clothing. He inhaled, his empty eyes turning to his students.

"Good morning to you all too. I see you found my training to be rather enjoyable." he said, and a few of the students nodded. Cetanu exhaled, an odd sound that was meant to be a sigh. "As expected, please tell me what you spent your time doing yesterday. I myself spent most of my day doing research on varying subjects." he said, watching them step forward one by one.

"I taught a small group of orphans the priests are caring for swordsmanship. They seemed excited for me to continue teaching them." Dimitri said, a genuine smile on his face. Cetanu nodded, rolling a shoulder that was sore from training.

"Very good. You spent your time well, and I can see that you were happy to share your love of training with children." he said, looking to the rest of his students. "I tended to the greenhouse for most of the day." Dedue said, Cetanu tilting his head slightly.

That wasn't what he was expecting to hear, but it was rather interesting to hear. "Very good. You spent your time well, and used it to tend to beings that are normally thought of as insignificant, inanimate objects." he said, his eyes moving down the line.

"I stopped a thief in the market who mugged a merchant for her wares." Ashe said, and Cetanu nodded. "Very good. You show great conviction in upholding your beliefs and protecting the innocent. You would have been a good fit amongst our band." he said, and Ashe smiled, happy at the compliment.

"I spent the day in the stables, tending to the horses and aiding the horseman." Ingrid said, and Cetanu nodded. "Very good. I see that you have an affinity for the animal, and I'd wager that you'd make quite the cavalier yourself." he said, looking down the line.

"I aided the priests during a mass. Afterwards I spent time holding confession for those that felt weighed down by their sins." Mercedes said, Cetanu not truly sure what she was talking about. He wasn't much of a religious person, only knowing about various religions and their own variants through books and the few Monks amongst Jeralt's Mercenaries.

"Very good. Your devotion is impressive, and I hope that those you aided are able to lead a happier life thanks to you." he said, and she smiled, Cetanu's eyes turning to the final three students.

"I helped a few of the church's mages organize weekly lessons for aspiring practitioners. Annette said with a smile, and Cetanu nodded respectfully. "Very good. I can see that your love of magick is not a selfish one. You wish for everyone to see the benefits."

Sylvain seemed hesitant, and Felix seemed completely uninterested. "I didn't bother with anything. I spent all day training." Felix said, and Cetanu tilted his head. Felix was an odd one, but he could tell that it was more than just him being a twit.

"Are you sure? When I arrived at the training ground over twelve hours ago, you were nowhere to be seen. The Black Eagles were her though, as I expected them to be." he said, and Felix narrowed his eyes.

Forgetting Sylvain entirely, as Cetanu was sure he merely flirted the day away, the mercenary folded his arms, not backing down from the young noble. "How would you know what those Adrestian bastards were up to?" he asked, and Cetanu maintained an unmoving posture.

"It's rather simple. With Manuela hungover like a recently widowed sailor, I offered to teach the Eagles in her stead. I figured that telling the Eagles exactly who they did and did not have a chance against would light a fire under them, and make the mock battle more entertaining." he said.

Felix stepped forward, Dimitri having a worried look on his face, Sylvain seeming happy that what he did yesterday wasn't of interest to their teacher. "You were TEACHING them? What kind of traitor are you? They're our rivals, and most of them are just outright pieces of garbage." he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes.

"If you keep up your pattern of training, or your attitude, you won't be chosen for the mock battle. It's bad enough that with your attitude and disdain for teamwork that you'd be a liability, but your distrust of other schoolchildren is a problem." he said, his arms falling to his side.

"Hubert would defeat you with his magick, and Petra might be able to get the jump on you with her foreign technique. Edelgard would dominate you without a problem, but if you keep up this attitude, it'll lead to you losing to Ferdinand, and possibly even Caspar. I understand that you function best in single combat, I do as well, but knowing when to work with your teammates, your friends and allies, is important." he said, and Felix scoffed.

Cetanu could see that earning Felix's respect as both a warrior and a teacher was going to be rather difficult. He exhaled, closing his eyes. "If you truly believe that me speaking to them for but an hour or two will cost you an entire battle, than you have no faith whatsoever." he said.

"No faith in me as your teacher, no faith in your allies to not only hold their own but to protect you and each other, and most importantly, no faith in yourself." he said, and Felix frowned, drawing the sword he carried on his waist, a slender, curved blade that Cetanu recognized from a couple of missions.

"Pick up a sword and back up your words, Professor." he said, and Cetanu looked Felix in the eyes, seeing the emotions that fueled him. He could tell that Felix was strongest, arguably as strong as Dimitri and with the single most speed in the class, but his personality left a lot to be desired. He inhaled, trying to prove a point.

Cetanu sprung into action, lurching forward and using his left palm to slap Felix's outstretched hand, the sword clattering from his grip as Cetanu used his momentum to duck down and sweep with a right kick.

Felix was unable to respond, Cetanu spinning in a full circle and rising with a left jab that struck Felix in the chest and knocked him back. Cetanu narrowed his eyes as Felix rose back to his feet, grabbing his chest and frowning. "Why didn't you grab a sword?" he asked, and Cetanu exhaled.

"You expect your opponent to be as emotional as you are. Since you were angered at me lying about you being at the training grounds, you expected me to be angry that you called me a traitor. It's simple to see." he said.

"Firstly, you really should help others. I might prefer to be alone with my thoughts, and be alone when training, but I spend my life swinging my sword in someone's stead. I am a member of a faceless army that steals from nobility and gives to children. A gear in a clock that ticks ever forwards." he explained.

"Are you willing to accept that your primary weakness is your own stubborn attitude?" he asked, and Felix frowned as he picked up his sword and sheathed it. "I'm not taking that from some black garbed vigilante wannabe." he said, and Cetanu realized that this would be quite the pain in the ass.

"Very well. Since you won't listen to me, then you'll have a different teacher today." he said, and Felix hesitated, looking to him. "Annette, Mercedes, take Felix and head to the Cathedral, your rooms, anywhere with an open space and so on. Teach him how to magick. Do not stop until the moon is high in the sky or he performs a spell successfully." he said, and Felix blinked.

Ecstatic at their assignment, the girls grabbed the blue haired boy and dragged him off, giggling between each other as Cetanu looked at their vanishing figures. "Magick, Professor? Felix has never been much for the arcane arts." Dimitri said, and Cetanu shrugged.

"He'll understand. Do me a favor though Dimitri. If you encounter him later at the Dining Hall or your quarters, please inform him to be here by noon tomorrow. I will be training him personally and privately. I'm going to get through to him one way or another." he said, Dimitri nodding.

"However, I anticipated something like this, so I asked an old ally of mine to meet us here." he said, hearing a lithe chuckle as a figure approached. This figure, a lean muscled man with brown hair that was well kempt past his shoulders and mischievous blue eyes, came up to Cetanu, leaning on him like a crutch.

"Are these the ones you told me about? They're all so adorable." he said, an odd, feminine tone in his voice. "Of course. The scenario I spoke of, where one of them would have to be sent off on a solo assignment, sort of came to pass. Are we in agreement on our terms?" he asked, and the man nodded.

"Of course. I take and train those students you told me about, and in return, you get that old fuddy duddy Seteth to clean my record." he said, and Cetanu nodded. He looked to his students, who seemed rather confused at the contrast between the emotionless, black garbed mercenary and his flamboyant, snow white donned ally.

"This is one of our finest mercenaries, and a man with more angry nobles after him than even the most dastardly swindler, Asmodeus von Macuil. Like his name suggests, he bears a Minor Crest of Macuil, making him one of the only mercenaries we have with a Crest." he explained.

The man walked over to the students, shaking each of their hands and lingering on Ashe. "Asmodeus." Cetanu said, the mercenary turned Knight casting a look back to his old comrade, seeing his normally blank face and sighing. "All right Tanu, you win." he said, and they blinked at the odd pet name. "Asmodeus is our foremost Paladin. Of course, he has an affinity for magick as well." he said, inhaling. "He will select however many of you he wishes, and you will be trained in not only horsemanship, but also facets of lancefaire and magick."

The man looked at them all. "You know, if I wasn't trying to get my name cleared of the terrible slander against it, I could eat all of you up!" he said with a giggle, unsettling a couple of the students. "Although, didn't you suggest a couple for me, Tanu?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded.

"I suggested Sylvain and Ingrid. Ingrid will be quite the pupil for you, and Sylvain because he, like you, spends his days flirting instead of working. I want you to show him a good balance." he said, and Asmodeus hummed.

He looked at them and smiled, walking over to Sylvain and leering at him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Angry nobleman mad at you too, huh?" he asked, and Sylvain relaxed. "Yeah, they don't like it when I compliment their daughters." he said, and Asmodeus nodded again. "I understand. There's nothing worse than the anger on a noble Father's face when he catches you in the act with his son." he said, placing a hand over he forehead dramatically.

Sylvain seemed slightly unnerved by that bold statement, only to be met with a giggle. "Of course, I think their wives were angrier an hour later." he said, laughing as he dragged Ingrid and Sylvain by the wrists. "Do return them in one piece, mentally and physically. I'd hate to have to explain that I let the 'Demon Lord of Lust' traumatize them." Cetanu said, being met with a wink and a giggle. He sighed.

This left Cetanu with Dedue, Dimitri and Ashe. He inhaled, finally ready to get to work. "Now, I hate to say it, but I have more faith in you three than the others. I'm hoping that with my training and my allies, I can turn all of you into great warriors, but you three will take the least amount of work." he said, and Dimitri seemed unconvinced.

"Is it truly alright for you to let one of your mercenary friends to… do your job for you?" he asked, and Cetanu tilted his head, honestly thinking about that. "I don't see a problem. They are great potential to become cavaliers, Knights, Paladins and so on. That potential can not go waste, neither can any possible magickal potential. I am not the best fit for that, so I have an ally that is better on horseback and with magick than I am. My specialty lies in strategy, bare hand combat, and my ability to adapt to any situation. This is why I'm skilled with all weapons, but not to the degree of other members of my band." he explained.

"The reason I chose Asmodeus is because of those exact reasons. He's better than me at some things, and I need him to help me. I can't craft you into the best people, leaders and fighters alone, just like as nobles, you can't rule and govern alone. Teamwork is needed, and I'm sure you can understand that above anyone, Dimitri." he said, and the blonde nodded.

"Good, now that we have that out of the way, and I have Asmodeus teaching Sylvain how to think with his head and not his hog, allow us to begin." he said, humming to himself.

"Firstly, I will have the three of you engage in a fight bare handed, against each other. The objective is to be the last man standing. Do not hold back, and do not be afraid to hurt each other. We have an infirmary." he said, and the all nodded.

He watched them all take stances, Ashe's more hesitant than Dimitri or Dedue, the boy likely concerned with his size difference. Dimitri made the first move, heading for Ashe with his fists clenched. He threw a right cross, Cetanu noticing that Dimitri was the only one wearing any semblance of armor, putting him at an advantage.

Ashe stepped back, only to bump into Dedue, who moved to grab him. Ashe jumped to the side, Dimitri using his momentum to throw a kick at Dedue, who blocked with tensed up arms, pushing back and causing Dimitri to fall on his back.

Ashe refused to mount an offensive, his small stature making him rather sure that he couldn't do much. Dimitri rose to his feet, throwing a flurry of punches at Dedue that were blocked by the much larger young man. Realizing that Dedue wasn't mounting an offensive either, Ashe looked for an opening to strike, inhaling as he slowly closed in.

Cetanu deduced multiple things from the opening moments of this battle. Firstly, Ashe lacked confidence against larger opponents. Secondly, Dedue lacked speed, which led him to take a defensive approach to the battle. The only one that grasped the battle's concept and had a firm idea of how to approach was Dimitri, which Cetanu had anticipated.

Ashe made his move, surging forward with as much force as he could, jumping and throwing a drop kick at Dimitri's back, sending him crashing into Dedue and forcing him to stumble back, losing his footing and falling to the ground. "That's enough." Cetanu said, his analysis completed.

The three all lined back up, and Cetanu walked over to them, looking over what injuries were sustained. Bar a bruise or two on Dedue, they were completely unharmed, which Cetanu was fine with. "Very good. I was able to understand exactly what form of training you each need. Dimitri, I told you to have Felix here tomorrow at Noon, correct? I want you here at midnight, twelve hours after Felix." he said, and then he looked to Dedue. "I would like to train with you in between, about the time the evening church bells ring, will that suffice?" he asked.

They both nodded. "Isn't midnight a bit much, Professor? Shouldn't you be getting sleep yourself?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "I don't really need it. For some reason, coming to Garreg Mach has me rather energized. I haven't really slept much since being here." he said, tilting his head. "This will allow me to teach each of you on a personal level. Of course, I will spar with Sylvain and Ingrid, along with our lovely mages, as well." he said, looking to Ashe.

"Congrats on your victory. You used your superior speed to avoid them and wait for an opening to strike. That's very clever, and for you, I would like to train at first light, six hours after Dimitri. Will this be alright?" he asked, and Ashe nodded. "Should I prepare specially?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "That won't be necessary, honestly. I want to fight you all at your most natural. Bring whatever weapon you desire, whatever gear, food, drink, what have you. As long as we have the ability to train individually, you all may do as you please." he said, dismissing them.

"You seem to be growing quite fond of them rather quickly." Sothis said once Cetanu was alone, the mercenary finding her statement interesting. "They are my responsibility, and I do not want them to fail, truly. I will not allow a bunch of noble brats led by a drunkard or a bookworm's ragtag bunch to defeat me and my trained warriors." he said, Sothis giggling at how competitive he was.

"I like seeing this side of you. Very well. Let them all have it I say! The Ashen Demon will show them exactly why his enemies fear him!" she called out, Cetanu rather enjoying her upbeat attitude. However, the mention of his old moniker made him think about the book he read earlier, about 'clans' of Demons. He didn't dwell on it, instead choosing to head to the marketplace simply for a stroll, but he had questions that only the library could answer.


	6. Ezekiel 3:21

Cetanu spent most of the day at the training grounds, sparring with a number of knights and faceless students he hadn't met. His mind wandered as he moved almost instinctually. However, his trance broke when he saw Felix enter the training grounds, noticing his student seemed slightly agitated.

"I'm glad you were able to make it." Cetanu said, Felix frowning as he simply glared at his teacher. "How was your training with the girls? Did you find any success?" he asked, and Felix narrowed his eyes, drawing his sword. "Why don't you find out?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded, sighing.

"I assumed that you wouldn't be one for small talk." he said, walking over to where he laid a sword on the ground. The weapon, a blade of basic make forged from simple Iron, was much lighter, but weaker than the steel and silver blades he was used to. He rolled the blade in his grip, laying it across his armored should before inhaling.

"Begin whenever it is convenient for you." he said, and Felix narrowed his eyes. He surged forward, coming down quickly. Cetanu, without shifting his stance, turned his back to Felix and ducked, the young man's blade clattering against his, bouncing off and making Felix step back from the recoil. Cetanu swung his left leg, Felix not about to fall for the same trick twice, jumping back and inhaling.

He surged forward once more, swinging in a sideways arc from his right to left. Cetanu, seeing the attack coming, continued spinning. However, he allowed himself to fall back, as if laying on the ground. He sprung to his feet, coming down with one hand.

Felix spun, shifting his blade into a reverse grip and parrying Cetanu's blade, the duo remaining unmoving as Felix stared into the soulless eyes of his Professor. He felt angered by the sight, as it reminded him of unpleasant memories and thoughts.

Pushing Cetanu back, his left hand began to glow. He ran his hand along the length of his blade, which began to cackle a white blue, sparks flying off of it as he shifted stances, holding the blade in a two handed stance that Cetanu wasn't very familiar with.

Felix burst forth, much faster than Cetanu was expecting, the light of his blade raising high the only thing that Cetanu was able to make out from the charge. Realizing that he wouldn't be able to parry the blade, he discard his own sword and stepped to his right, the blade coming down and cracking the stone floor, sparks flying as Cetanu skipped forward and threw a left heel kick at Felix, stopping mere hairs away from his face.

"Very impressive." he said, and Felix exhaled, raising his blade and sheathing it. "I will best you in at least one match." he said, and Cetanu wanted to smile, settling for giving the boy a thumbs up, something his father normally did to show positivity. "I look forward to it. It means that my work is done." he said, and Felix frowned.

"Is Jeralt's training truly that impressive? Tales of the Blade Breaker speak of him as a Paladin that seemed impervious to magick, wielding a lance that he used to shatter opponents weapons before striking them down." he said, and Cetanu shook his head. "We have other impressive members of our band. I learned most of my swordsmanship, horsemanship and lancefaire from my father, but my Magick knowledge came from our lead healer, an Adrestian Priestess named Lillith. Her magick is mostly supportive of course, so while I do know how to perform healing magicks, I am not very well versed in anything else." he explained.

"So you won't be able to help me with the magick I learned?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "I am a Professor. My position is partially due to my knowledge. Just because I cannot light my sword with fire this very moment does not mean I couldn't instruct you with my own mind and guide you through physical motions." he said, and Felix seemed relieved at that.

"Why did you single me out? I'm sure you could have gotten a similar reaction out of the boar or Dedue." he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "You had the easiest attitude to manipulate. My goal was to use today to see what activities you do while I spend the day reading books and training. Then turn it into a chance to train each other you personally and privately. For example, once we're finished here, Dedue is next, then Dimitri, then Ashe. Then I will take a break, and then train the next four. After I train each of you, I will give you all a brief rundown of your updated capability." he explained.

Elsewhere, Sylvain seemed rather unnerved by his teacher, who seemed to be greatly interested in him. Ingrid found his discomfort greatly amusing however, teasing him at every chance she got. The trio was currently riding through a field, Asmodeus teaching them how to guide a horse with one's hips and heels so that they could strike.

As they continued to ride, Ingrid decided to try and sate her curiosity. The first day was mostly introductions and sparring to see exactly what regimen they'd need.

"Mr. Macuil, how did you come to join Captain Jeralt and his mercenaries?" she asked, and the brunette man hummed. "I was a kid from a random Adrestian village somewhere in Aegir territory. We had a bit of a monster problem, weird, magickally enhanced giant wolves and monster vultures and such. It turns out that the Captain was employed to deal with it. I was of course already my devilish self." he said with a giggle.

"I tried flirting with a few of the guys, but most of them had wives and their wives were also mercs. Crazy, right?" he asked, the trio taking a hard turn, Asmodeus controlling his steed with only his hips and heels, his arms folded and reins hanging limp.

"Anyway, it was on a trip out of town that I was beset upon by one of the giant wolves. Now at the time all I knew was magick, Jeralt taught me how to deal with horses and lances, so the thing had me beat." he began, taking another sharp turn that his students barely followed.

"Now, this was when I met Tanu. Now you have to think from my perspective. Here I am, a young boy in the first years of puberty, about to be turned into a midday snack by the big bad wolf." he said, his upper body making theatric motions while his lower body moved only to control the horse, something that Ingrid was having a harder time following than Sylvain.

"And here comes this handsome young man with a billowing black cape to my rescue, armed only with his bare hands and good looks. I was admittedly smitten with Cetanu, but it faded once I got older, since the rational, adult me knew that he'd never be smitten with me. After all, he doesn't smile." he said, and Sylvain found that odd.

"I don't know what's weirder. That you had a crush on our Professor, or that he fought a giant wolf with his bare hands. How'd he manage that?" he asked, and Asmodeus shrugged, humming to himself as they took another sharp turn, seeing that his students were finally starting to grasp the technique he was trying to teach them.

"Tanu is a monster. There's a reason scared peasants and spiteful bandits call us demons. My moniker of the 'Demon Lord of Lust' comes from the fact that I like to sleep around. I enjoy sex too much to go around like Tanu and give everyone a cold shoulder and dead eye." he said, shrugging.

"Of course, Tanu is different. They call him the 'Ashen Demon' because he's a foul beast that slays his enemies without a single look on his face or care in the world. The ashen part comes from the fact that the guy who first called him that witnessed the time Cetanu killed a bandit by breaking one of the man's ribs clean out and stabbing him with it. Bit overkill if you ask me." he said, shrugging.

"Is it safe for us to be around him?" Ingrid asked, that last bit of information striking fear in her heart. "Of course. Cetanu is harmless. Besides, he likes you guys enough to ask someone as problematic as me for help. I'm almost jealous."

Hours later, the sun had long since set and the moon was high in the sky. Cetanu had continued to train with Felix, who made great progress both in terms of his swordsmanship and his attitude. The two had actually begun to bond, Cetanu having a much better opinion of Felix than before.

Dedue however, was a different story. Despite his immense strength, stamina and defense, the foreigner wasn't much of a talker. Their conversation was simple, and short. As Dimitri entered the training grounds and stayed off to a corner preparing, Cetanu looked to Dedue.

"Your devotion to Dimitri is interesting. Tell me, where does it stem from?" he asked, and the brown man looked to him. "His Highness is a kind man that shows me mercy and kindness when none else would dare. My people, the peoples of Duscur, are venomously despised here in Fodlan. Not His Highness. He is different." he said, and Cetanu nodded. He was impressed to say the least, his mind continuing to wander as he waited for Dedue to depart and Dimitri to get ready.

For Cetanu, training with Dimitri was very enjoyable. His prowess was apparent, and Cetanu was able to judge from his experience and technique that he had experience in actual battle, and not just practice like some of the students he'd seen. Infact, he could see the eyes of a leader in Dimitri, the emotionless mercenary very keen of detecting and discerning the emotions of others.

"Professor, may I ask you a question?" Dimitri inquired, the moon descending in the sky as the first glimpses of light illuminated the sky hours later. Cetanu nodded, the duo continuing to spar barehanded as they spoke.

"When you spoke to us before, you said that the light in someone's eyes grows dimmer with each kill. What brought you to that conclusion?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged as he ducked a spinning kick. He wasn't fond of explaining such things, as it was personal to him, but he digressed.

"As a mercenary, my job is to swing my sword for whoever, for whatever reason, in exchange for money and supplies. Soon you start to see that tired look of sadness on some of your brothers. They tire of fighting and killing every day, but they lack the skills or reputation to escape it. Infact, in my life, I have seen men take their own lives because this cycle is too much for them." he said, their sparring ceasing.

"When you see a man with such a dead gaze and so little care and respect for life itself that he takes his own life days later, you realize that those that kill do not have the same glittering spark of purity and innocence in their eyes. Infact, your eyes are, figuratively speaking, the darkest in the class." he said.

Dimitri seemed surprised at that statement, chuckling as Cetanu continued. "My father's gaze has dulled over the years, and even Asmodeus is starting to derive less pleasure from his debauchery. I pray that they use their time here to settle and relax. We are killers, no better than bandits and thieves. The only difference is that we get paid to do in someone's stead." he said, and Dimitri seemed to frown.

"Your viewpoint is so sad to me. Have you ever considered that your lack of outward emotion comes from that bleak, detached view of the world?" he asked, and Cetanu tilted his head as he looked to the rising sun. He inhaled.

"No. Many of our men that find love also have a spark in their eyes. True, it is not the same innocent, bloodless purity that Mercedes or Annette have, but it is a happy, fulfilled spark, like in the eyes of Alois. There are many sparks in our eyes. We just need the right kindling to ignite them." he explained.

Dimitri seemed very enthralled with Cetanu's words, as if he was a child that just discovered a subject that interested them greatly. "And if you don't mind me asking, what are your goals, or to what end do you hope to use your position here?" he asked, and Cetanu, fully aware that he could match Dimitri in single combat without exerting himself too much, exhaled.

"I will use my position and resources to learn of my condition, and learn how to cure it. I wish to be expressive outwardly. Much like the fires in our eyes, that too is a spark that must be igniting. I simply need to find the kindling for it." he said, and Dimitri nodded.

They continued to spar and chat until Ashe arrived at first light, seeming very nervous as he watched the two larger males spar. When Cetanu noticed Ashe, he quickly disabled Dimitri before they separated. The Prince seemed very worn, breathing heavy as he rose to his feet and grabbed his sore right shoulder.

"Thank you for this opportunity Professor." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "You are very impressive. I'm glad that I've got a student like you. If I would've had a bunch of children that were completely clueless I might have gone insane." he said, Dimitri finding his dry, dead faced humor amusing.

The second morning they trained, Ingrid and Sylvain were much more relaxed, their training progressing smoothly as they were taught lancefaire both on and off of horses. They both excelled without much issue, Asmodeus seeming very relieved that the students he was helping with weren't complete idiots.

"Very good. You are both progressing along well, and I can't see much of an issue. However, there is one thing with each of you." he said, the two of them looking to each other. "With Sylvain, I sense a good amount of magickal potential within you. I would like to either train you myself or advise that you seek a magickal tutor, such as Professor Hanneman, or another student with more magickal knowledge and experience than you, such as Annette." he said, and Sylvain seemed surprised.

"Me? Using magick?" he asked, and Asmodeus nodded. "Of course. Normally, people like us, men with flirtatious attitudes, are gifted in the magickal arts. It's a side effect of being so suave." he said with a sly grin, Sylvain chuckling at the remark.

"As for you Ingrid, your sole issue is a massive lack of strength. Your moves are very swift, your dexterity and skills are immaculate, but there's something about that which doesn't translate to strength. I advise that you either train specifically in strength, or you do something that might make up for it." he said, tilting his head.

With his head tilted, they could see his ears for the first time, his shaggy brown mane normally covering them. In his ears were small diamond studs, with what looked to be a half of a large tooth dangling from each of them.

"I know! You should seek tutelage from a Wyvern Rider or a Pegasus Knight. The momentum of flying at an opponent or the mobility to avoid damage should make up for your strength." he said, and Ingrid nodded, not surprised at his analysis, her focus elsewhere.

"Where did you get those earrings?" she asked, and he blinked, brushing his hair away and glancing to them. "These? Tanu made them. You remember that giant wolf I talked about? Well, Jeralt was real big on not wasting the stuff we're blessed with, so Tanu was taught a lot of stuff about craftsmanship. It's almost like he's a master of the physical form, really." he said.

"So he made a pair of earrings for you with a wolf tooth?" Sylvain asked. Asmodeus nodded, a smile on his face. "He made a lot more out of that wolf. Dinner, clothing, weapons, small ivory sculptures. It was impressive as all hell." he said, giggling to himself at his memories.

"Are any of these 'weapons' still around?" Ingrid asked, and Asmodeus hummed. "Most of the swords and knives he made were broken over the years, but there is one weapon that is still around. Using a rib of the wolf and some tendons, Cetanu made a bow for our best Archer, Abaddon. He should be wandering the Monastery if you'd like to meet him." he said, and they blinked to each other.

Ashe was very nervous around Cetanu, and he couldn't tell why. Be it his dead stare, odd clothing or obsession with combat, something about the man he called his teacher was off putting. He came prepared of course, his bow and a sword on him. Cetanu seemed to stare at him like a monster would at it's food, an odd look that was almost filled with an emotion or two.

"D-do you want me to use my sword or my bow first?" he managed to get out, and Cetanu inhaled. "What brought on that odd burst of aggression in our last training session?" he asked, and Ashe blinked. "I don't know really. I just lost it. I'm sorry if I hurt you or anything." he said, and Cetanu wished he could smile.

"Not at all. I was just curious, because that was very impressive. It's the reason I singled you out for a private training session. I haven't had to try that hard in unarmed combat in a while." he said.

"We will begin with the sword, move to the bow and then finally unarmed combat. During the time we spend here, you are very free to ask me any questions you desire. They can be personal, you can ask for advice and so on. I do hope you'll be a better conversationalist than Dedue." he said, eliciting a whimsical chuckle from Ashe.

As they trained, Cetanu picked up various patterns from Ashe. A fondness for attacks at the legs, his blade consistently being held in a reverse grip, and the fact that when they trained with the bow, Ashe never really took aim at him, as if he knew exactly where to aim and how to hold the bow without a glance.

This let Cetanu know many things. First, Ashe was always small, and adopted a more speed based style because of his stature. Secondly, his eyesight was impeccable, as was his aim. Without holding the bow out or even narrowing his eyes, he was able to fire many accurate strikes that would've hit their mark if Cetanu wasn't expecting it.

When they moved to hand to hand combat, he found that Ashe was also very quick, the strikes he landed lacking in power, but not quantity. Theoretically, Ashe could consistently strike the same spot until the body gave out beneath the sheer number of times it was struck.

"Professor, forgive me if this is too personal, but do you have any siblings?" he asked, and he tilted his head. "Not as far as I am aware. I know little of my parents, as my Mother died when I was still a baby and my Father speaks little of his past. Unless he has bastard children, I am an only child." he said, and Ashe sighed.

"Do you have siblings?" he asked, and the gray haired boy nodded. "I have two. I worry about them every day, to be honest." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "Dimitri told me that you were adopted by a nobleman. Did he take in your siblings as well?" he asked, and Ashe nodded. "Lonato caught me in his manor one night and I was sure that I was going to be imprisoned or executed." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head.

"And yet he took you in. You, at the time a fearful young boy who stole to provide for his siblings. I assume your parents also passed away as well." he said, and Ashe nodded. "My Father used to own a restaurant, so I'm good at cooking, but it wasn't enough to keep us going." he said blinking.

"How could you tell that?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "Your fighting style is fast because it's scared of taking damage, much like a thief or an orphaned ruffian. Since I was told that you were adopted, I made the assumption that you were an orphaned thief. From my experience, only those that pickpocket move the way you do." he said.

"Wow. I can't believe you can tell all of that from just fighting me." he said, and Cetanu exhaled. "It's something most of us can do. Both me, My Father and all of our top mercenaries can do it to some degree. Infact, if you have some free time, I think you should meet and speak to Abaddon, he's our best archer." he said, wishing he could crack a smile.

After the sun was high in the sky, Ashe departed, and Cetanu spent the rest of the day resting. It was a habit he made that if he trained for more than half a day, that he would rest for half a day. He left Ashe with instructions to have the class meet him in the classroom tomorrow, three hours after first light.

"I'm surprised your body can handle all of that training." Sothis said in his mind. Cetanu wished he could roll his eyes, feeling annoyed at the pointy eared child. "I'm surprised that you woke up from one of your loud, snoring naps while I was without garb." he said, resting chest deep in water at the sauna, which doubled as a bath house. Sothis lit up red in his mind, something that he found very amusing.

That evening at the Dining Hall, the Blue Lions all met up, each of them with different things to say. "I'm surprised that our Professor is being so loose with our schedules." Ingrid said, and Sylvain shrugged.

"I think it's pretty nice. Gives me more time with the ladies." he said, many of his classmates rolling their eyes. "Our Professor is so mysterious. Have any of you guys even see him eat?" Annette asked, and they all hesitated.

"No, and that's not all. While we were training, Mr. Asmodeus told us a lot about Cetanu. Apparently he fights giant wolves with his bare hands and makes things from their corpses." Ingrid said.

"He is really skilled. I can't even best him, even with magick and my sword." Felix said, something that Dimitri nodded to. "He talks like an old man that's lost his faith in humanity. He spoke to me about being able to tell how many kills someone has by the look in their eyes." he said, a couple of the lions seeming unnerved.

"That's like how he told me him and all the best mercenaries from his group could figure you out from a fight. He knew that I was a thief and an orphan just by watching me attack him." Ashe said, and Sylvain narrowed his eyes. "Did he name any of those mercs?" he asked, and Ashe nodded.

"He talked about their best Archer, a man named Abaddon." he said, and Sylvain and Ingrid looked to each other. "Asmodeus told us that our Professor made that same guy a bow out of the rib and tendons of that giant wolf." he said, and they all found that unnerving.

"You really shouldn't take everything Asmodeus says at face value." they heard, looking to see a man standing at the head of their table. He was tall, his body lean and his hair long and black. His eyes were an emerald green, and his clothing had green mixed into the normal white of the Church.

However, the most noticeable thing about him was that his face was scarred. His left eye was half lidded, white and cloudy with a scar running from his left brow to the right of his jawline, the angle leaving his nose slightly misshapen. And on his back was infact an ivory bow, the odd bowstring crossing his chest.

"You must be Abaddon." Felix said, and the man bowed, his good eye passing over them. "You must be the cubs that Cetanu told me about. He said to me that I'd be able to smell the potential on you, and he was right, as usual." he said, more to himself. "As for Asmodeus, you shouldn't take his word at face value. Unless, of course, it comes to Cetanu." he said, and he sighed, taking a seat with them, next to Mercedes.

"He said that a few of you might be looking for me. I'm not one for small talk, so I'll make this relatively quick. Yes, this bow was made just like Asmodeus said. Secondly, this scar came from a battle against the Knights of Seiros. I myself am a former Assassin, I became a mercenary when Jeralt extended a hand out to me. Lastly, my full name is Abaddon Al Aubin, and like my name suggests, I bear a Minor Crest of Aubin."

With those few words, he made to leave. Mercedes however, grabbed the sleeve of his uniform, something that earned her a scarred frown and narrowed emerald eye. "Please wait, we want to know if you can tell us about our Professor."

The Archer wasn't exactly in the mood to talk, but when he looked in the young woman's eyes, he relented, exhaling. "Three questions." he said, and Mercedes smiled, her happy face almost relaxing the assassin.

"Have you ever seen him eat?" Annette asked, and Abaddon shook his head. "He doesn't eat often. Normally, that'd be due to our work. A lot of our younger and newer guys fast for quite a while simply because killing churns the stomach of the green. Cetanu is different. He simply very rarely eats, and when he does, it's to prevent autophagy." he said, and Mercedes tilted her head. "Autophagy?"

"The medical term for starvation, in a sense. It's when the body begins to break itself down and consume it's own material to sustain itself. It's part of why those that die of starvation are so thin. Their body attempts to consume itself." he explained.

"Where did he learn to fight barehanded?" Felix asked, and Abaddon shrugged. "It's always been his specialty. If you break into his room, you'll likely find a book or a drawing about some obscure technique or lost fighting style. He normally improvises, but he's learned enough about it to do that." he said with a shrug, not liking how talkative they made him.

"Do you have a moniker? Like they call Jeralt the Blade Breaker, and Mr. Asmodeus something foul." Sylvain asked, and Abaddon nodded. "Indeed. Just as Asmodeus is the Demon Lord of Lust, I am called the Demon Lord of Envy, as the common folk spin tales of a monster in the shadows that kills the wealthy and arrogant." he said, exhaling and looking outside.

"That was more than three questions, but I guess that's alright. Do not disappoint Cetanu in that little scrap you have coming up. If there's one thing he doesn't like, it's failure." he said, leering at them with his almost gemlike eye ball before leaving.

As he laid in his bed staring at the ceiling, Cetanu allowed his mind to wander, from his students to Lady Rhea, and even his Mother. He wished very greatly to have been able to have her growing up, feeling a pinch of jealousy whenever the younger mercenaries or the older mercs would have family around. He sighed, shaking his head and closing his eyes.

"You really are all over the place, aren't you?" Sothis said, sitting on her stone throne as Cetanu shrugged. He sat on the ground, his normal 'sleep' process being speaking to Sothis until his body recharges. "I'm aggravated by it as well. I'm trying to maintain a singular focus but this place is offputting my mind." he said, humming to himself.

"Do you think it's because of a person, or is it this place itself?" she asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "I do not know or care honestly. The thing that has been on my mind the most is those books. If that monster was connected to me somehow, how? Was my Mother simply a form it took, a creation of it's, or a child of it? Or worse, my Father? Has he known and been connected to this entire secret history all this time and lied to me about it?" he mused and Sothis blinked at him.

"You asked more questions in that rambling than you normally do in a moon's time. You must relax your mind and take it one step at a time. Focus on your brats and then look into your fairy tales on the side. It must be hard to hear, but cast doubts of your father and your mother from your mind. When the time comes, you will learn everything. I promise." she said, and Cetanu chuckled. He hoped she was right. He wasn't normally a patient man.


	7. Galatians 5:19-21

The days and week leading up to the mock battle were very uneventful. As expected, his students made plenty of progress in their training, and his allies from his mercenary days were more than willing to help.

Cetanu found their teasing rather agitating to an extent, as they all joked about him getting soft and complacent. Asmodeus even said he was growing smitten with them, something that caused Cetanu more aggravation than anything else.

His mercenary allies, a group of five people that when paired with him and Jeralt made up the strongest members of the band, called a different name in every territory. In the Alliance, they were called the Council of the Seven, in Adrestia they were known as the Seven Deadly Sins, and in Faerghus they were the Princes of the Eternal Flames. Of course, Cetanu found this amusing.

There was something about making up random monikers and epithets for people that always made him rather content, and he'd taken to using such monikers with his allies when speaking of his students.

"You know, your friends might be right. You have been rather laid back. Even your training seems less severe." Sothis said, Cetanu shaking his head as he walked the halls of the monastery. The mock battle was tomorrow, and the last thing he needed was a child in his head telling him he's getting soft.

"You know, when the day comes and I get you out of my head and into your own body, I might slap the shit out of you." he said, and she smirked, liking his attitude. "I'd like to see you try. I gave you the ability to rewind the very hands of time. Imagine what I could do with my full power outside of your pitiful little mind!" she shouted, and Cetanu felt content having riled her up.

This day, the final before the mock battle, Cetanu gave his students free reign, a day to relax and mentally prepare for the coming fight. He knew that nobody would be harmed, as it was a supervised battle, church healers and such watching from a distance. However, this left Cetanu with the task of choosing his students.

Hanneman had informed him that it was to be the Professors and five students each, meaning that each class would leave three students out. Of course, this allowed Cetanu to run many scenarios through his mind, and his current destination would help him choose.

"You don't come to visit often." Jeralt said, and Cetanu nodded. "It's work related sadly. That mock battle is tomorrow, and I have to select five of my students. Of course, I think of the morale of the students that aren't chosen and the fact that the Black Eagles might actually pose a threat should I choose the wrong students." he said, and Jeralt hummed.

"Sounds to me like you're more concerned with how your students feel than actually winning." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head. Was that true? Did he even care about victory? He shook his head, disregarding that notion.

"Regardless, I was hoping that you could help me select a team. I can only choose five of them, so I know at least three will be disappointed." he said, and Jeralt hummed. "Who's the strongest?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged.

"It could go one of three or four or so ways. Dimitri takes the least amount of effort to train outside of magick, and Felix has the innate speed and skill to pose a threat. Dedue has the sheer strength to be a contender and Ashe has a unique enough style to pose a threat, no to mention the other half of my students." he said, and Jeralt chuckled.

"Sounds to me like you don't wanna rank them out of concern for their feelings. It's surprising to see them have this effect on you." he said, and Cetanu furrowed his brow slightly.

Jeralt sighed, able to feel the discomfort coming from his son. "Look, have you asked any of the other guys what they think? Asmodeus told me that you asked them to assist you in training them." he inquired, and Cetanu nodded.

"They all say I shouldn't care and pick five of them. Lillith even suggested that I pick the five best looking students so that I at the very least have the most attractive team. That woman baffles me sometimes." he said, and Jeralt laughed.

"Abaddon says I should pick the fastest team, Asmodeus says it doesn't matter because I'll likely lose anyhow, and Beelzebub and Samyaza couldn't be bothered to think about it." he said, and Jeralt chuckled.

"It almost sounds like you're complaining. I like this new side of you, Kid." he said, and Cetanu exhaled, trying to distract himself from how proud he felt at that remark. He shook his head, inhaling.

"Say you're right, and I am concerned for their feelings. How do I make a decision based on someone's feelings?" he asked, and Jeralt smiled. "Well, that's up to you. Who do you think would be the least upset at not being chosen for this random mock battle? And who would be angry enough to hold it against you for the rest of the year?"

Cetanu nodded. He understood what his father was trying to say, and didn't understand why it hadn't crossed his mind sooner. He had told the students to meet him in the dining hall at sundown, as his body was telling him that it was time to eat finally.

With the few hours he had left, Cetanu wandered the library since it wasn't too far from his father's office. He read many books on everything from the history of Fodlan to the history of the monastery, finding any information he could absorb rather interesting.

"Professor! Pleasure seeing you here." Hanneman said as he approached, Cetanu nodding respectfully to his senior instructor. "I'm merely passing time before I tell my students which of them is not participating in the battle tomorrow." he said, and Hanneman nodded.

"Most people in your position find it hard to pick. After all, you risk upsetting a nobleman's child. Why, one year I had a student from Faerghus who was so upset he had his father threaten military action against me. I of course smoothed it over but that is a challenge we face." he said.

"What advice would you have for me then?" he asked, and Hanneman hummed. "Well, just go with your gut, or your brain. Remember, you have an entire year to smooth things over with anyone upset at not being chosen. Don't think too hard on it." he said, and Cetanu wished he could smile.

Cetanu bowed slightly in respect, and then thought back to all of his brothers in arms, who nearly refused to help him. He felt a surge of childish pettiness, and wondered if it was an ill effect of Sothis residing in his mind.

"Thank you Professor Hanneman. That is much more help than anyone I'd asked prior." he said, and Hanneman smiled, chuckling to himself. "Of course. It's our duty to help each other so that we might better help the students." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

"Speaking of helping each other, I had noticed that you have Crests listed with no known bearers." he said, and Hanneman nodded, his focus like a laser. "I would like to share with you that my brothers in arms, the vaunted 'Seven Deadly Sins' of Jeralt's Mercenaries, all bear a crest of some form. Me and my father are in that rank of course, but there are others." he said, and Sothis gasped in his mind.

"Really? Who bears what crest if I may ask?" he wondered, and Sothis was pursing her lips and shaking her head, arms folded in his mind. "My friend Asmodeus bears a Crest of Macuil, and my friend Abaddon had the Crest of Aubin. I won't share all of them of course, but the more you tell me about my Crest, the more I tell you about theirs." he said, and Hanneman seemed to smile broader than ever, up for the challenge.

The Blue Lions felt rather unnerved at the Dining Hall, as the table behind them was filled with their 'tutors', the Crest bearing mercenaries that were their Professor's allies. The five of them had assisted Cetanu in teaching them, the one called Lillith even discovering a potential for white magick in Dimitri, something that surprised the prince.

"You don't have to find us so unsettling you know. We won't bite." Asmodeus said, speaking from the other table. The Lions all reacted differently, from chuckles to nervous nods.

"You say that as if you haven't thought of biting a few of them." Abaddon said, his good eye rolling at his brother in arms. Asmodeus chuckled. "Well, I have, but can you blame me?" he asked, and Lillith, the sole female of the group, giggled. "I honestly can't. They're quite adorable." she said, the Lions growing more unsettled by the fact that they were right there.

"You two are sick. I'm glad the runt's teaching them and not you." a heavy set, muscular man said. His hair was very well kempt and blonde, falling over his broad shoulders elegantly. Lillith rolled her eyes.

"Just because you find a mirror more attractive doesn't mean that you have to rain on our parade, Beelzebub." he said, and a fourth man, who seemed half awake, sighed. "You are all so annoying. Those kids are gonna end up telling the Archbishop or the Bossman on us." he said.

As if on cue, Jeralt and Cetanu entered the Dining Hall, both tables looking to them. Jeralt sighed as he walked over to his subordinates and Cetanu moved to his.

The Blue Lions looked at the seven of them, and they could tell that they were an unstoppable force together. Six of them all had malicious auras, or almost evil dispositions, but their leader, Jeralt the Blade Breaker, had an air of purity about him, as if he was reigning in their villainy.

"Are you done annoying his students? Let's go. Rhea gave me another mission." he said, and they all sighed, nodding to each other before rising up and departing. Cetanu watched them leave, wishing he could roll his eyes or sigh. "Are they really your friends?" Sylvain asked.

"I guess you could call them that. I assume that you've heard tales of us? Everywhere we go people have a different name for us. Council of the Seven, Seven Deadly Sins, Princes of the Eternal Flames and so on?" he asked, and they all nodded.

"Well, regardless of what you know and were told, that is what we are. A group of six very different killers led by my Father. Now that I think of it, I can liken them to you all." he said, and Felix narrowed his eyes.

"How so?" he asked, and Cetanu tilted his head slightly. "Well, you are all a bunch of different people from different backgrounds being led by someone very different from you. Of course, you have yet to earn all of the theatric monikers we have, but that will take more time." he said.

"Why would we want monikers and nicknames of all things?" Ingrid asked, and Cetanu exhaled. "Well, you can intimidate people with a combination of good posture and an intimidating name. That muscled man with the long hair? He's the best at that."

"His name is Beelzebub Met Atron, Demon Lord of Pride, Minister of Arrogance, Prince of the Flame of Vanity, bearer of the Crest of Ernest." he said, and Sylvain whistled. "That's a lost to say." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "All of us are like that, our names all as storybook as our deeds." he said, and they all seemed interested.

Cetanu actually enjoyed this. They all grabbed something to eat, Cetanu settling on a simple plate of meat and vegetables, the meat cooked very rare, as it made the made more chewy, which is something he enjoyed. He knew they wanted him to keep spinning tales of his mercenary days and allies, and honestly enjoyed obliging them.

"Sylvain and Ingrid's tutor, Asmodeus, goes by many names. Asmodeus von Macuil, Demon Lord of Lust, Minister of Adultery, Prince of the Flame of Fornication, bearer of the Crest of Macuil of the Four Saints." he said, and they all found that rather amusing.

"Prince of the Flame of Fornication sounds like the title for a male harlot. I hope he doesn't take pride in that name." Dimitri said, sounding a little embarrassed to even speak the moniker. Cetanu blinked. "He loves the name. Infact, that theatric title spurns him to be more debaucherous in Faerghus. I won't name names, but let's just say at least one of your father's are fully aware why he has that name." he said, and they all froze.

Sothis keeled over laughing in Cetanu's mind, something that Cetanu took a sense of pride in. "Of course, there's always more to Asmodeus than that. People might peg him as a sex addicted monster, but he does have a more soft, human side to him as well. Him teaching brings it out a little. That was part of my endgame as well." he said, and they all tried to forget his previous statement.

"Then there's our foremost healer, Lillith Eden Ophanima, Demon Lord of Gluttony, Minister of Life and Death, Prince of the Flame of Oblivion, High Priestess of Monsters, bearer of the Crest of Noa." he said, and Annette nodded with a smile.

"Miss Lillith was really nice to me when we trained together. I didn't realize how much I had left to learn!" she said with enthusiasm, and Cetanu nodded. "I'm glad. She does grow rather bored of only healing people. I knew that having her help you guys out would put a spring in her step." he said, noticing that his plate was empty, and yet, he was still hungry.

"Of course, you all know about my Father, Jeralt Eisner, the Blade Breaker, Demon Lord of Greed, Minister of Sellswords, Prince of the Flame of Purification. I won't speak on my father's Crest, because I'm not even sure he has one." he said, moving on before anyone could say something.

"The lazy one you saw was our best flier, a Wyvern master or Falcon Knight or whatever the term is. His name is Samyaza Crowley, Demon Lord of Sloth, Minister of Laziness, Prince of the Flame of Lethargy, bearer of the Crest of Chevalier. He's very laid back, and very rarely shows much interest in anything, which is why I'm surprised you've worked so well with him, Dedue." he said.

"He's very direct. I appreciate that." he said, and Cetanu nodded. He was glad that he could meld his life as a sellsword and a teacher together. It was uplifting the spirits of his allies, and he'd seen a great improvement in their moods recently, something that he was surprised about. He wondered who he hadn't covered, and then realize there was only two left.

"Of course, you're all familiar with the man that taught me the bow, The Angel of the Abyss, Abaddon Al Aubin, Demon Lord of Envy, Minister of Death, Prince of the Flame of Melancholy, bearer of the Crest of Aubin." he explained, and they all nodded.

Unlike most of his allies, even Asmodeus, Abaddon was very glad to help them out. It wasn't like the one eyed sniper, but Cetanu was glad to see him actually interacting with people. None kept to themselves more than Abaddon, who barely even interacted with the other six elites in the band. He spent most of his days sitting in a forest playing his flute or feeding hungry animals.

"That's only six of them. Aren't you the seventh, Professor?" Dimitri asked, and Cetanu nodded. "I'm not fond of listing these names myself, as it sounds rather arrogant, but for you lot, I don't mind." he said, seeing smiles grace some of their faces at the comment.

"I am the Ashen Demon, Cetanu Eisner, son of The Blade Breaker, The Demon Lord of Wrath, Minister of darkness, Prince of the Black Flame, The Gargoyle of Garreg Mach. In Brigid they call me the Black Spirit. In Dagda they call me Cermait of the Battle Squadrons. In Almyra I was known as the Leviathan of the Black Flag. There are probably others, but I haven't heard them myself." he said, and they all seemed surprised at the sheer number on monikers he had.

"Why so many?" Felix asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "Apparently I did that much. Outside of Fodlan we only did random assassinations, and I earned the title of Leviathan of the Black Flag for swimming from our ship to an enemy ship and defeating the crew." he said.

"An entire Almyran pirate crew? Alone after swimming?" Ashe asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Almyran pirates are not well trained if at all. I was able to easily overwhelm them back then." he said, and Dedue seemed unconvinced.

"How many years back was this?" he asked, and Cetanu glanced to the ceiling. "At least five. I was sixteen years old. The next year, we traveled to Dagda, where I earned the name far outthinking a guerrilla military, which wasn't hard as they were more brutes than anything. The year after, when I turned eighteen, I was sent on a solo mission to Brigid to deal with a small group of radical magisters. They were far too slow to pose a threat to me." he said.

"I don't know whether you're trying to make these things sound less impressive or make yourself sound more impressive." Dimitri said with a nervous chuckle. Cetanu shook his head.

"Perhaps it is my lack of outward emotion, but the monikers all come from a fear inflicted at my calm demeanor. While the many names are rather fun to tell to children in each village I travel, they also scare people, and that is never my intention."

"Sounds like you're really misunderstood." Mercedes said. Cetanu wondered, was she right? Did he want people to actually get to know him, or did he enjoy being referred to with such fearful veneration? He didn't honestly know, but he did know one thing. "While I don't think such theatric titles fit me, I do however understand them. I am nothing more than a hired killer. Each of those names, except the Gargoyle of Garreg Mach, which is just Claude and the students here having fun, came from killing someone. And I didn't think about how it made their loved ones feel." he said.

"However, I find myself at a crossroads with our mock battle tomorrow. That is why I wished to invite you here. After much though, I have decided who will be participating tomorrow." he said, and they all piped up, their negative thoughts about their teacher forgotten, if only for now.

"Firstly, Dimitri, you will be participating. I am certain that Claude and Edelgard will also be there, and I want my house leader there as well." he said, and the young man placed his hand on his chest and nodded his head. "I won't let you down Professor."

"Second, I have decided to include Annette. I am certain that Hubert and Lysithea will be chosen, and I won't be defeated by spell slinging brats." he said, and Annette blinked.

"You really want me to participate? I might cost us the win." she said, and Cetanu shook his head. "They will dedicate a mage to taking you out. Now, this gives us two options. We can ignore that and have you provide cover for Dimitri, or we can use that to draw their mages in and take them out." he said, and Annette nodded, clenching her tiny fists with determination.

"Third, Felix. Your speed is likely unmatched within the three houses, and that will allow you to win most single confrontations without too much of a problem, especially if you blend your magick into the fight." he said, and Felix nodded.

"Just don't let the boar prince hold me back." he said, and Dimitri rolled his eyes and sighed. Cetanu nodded. "Next, Mercedes. You are our primary healer, and with you keeping us healthy and drawing our enemies' attention, you will be a valuable part of the team.

She smiled. "I'll do my best." she said, bowing her head slightly. He looked to the four students who hadn't been chosen. He sighed, hating to have to do this. "The final member of our team tomorrow is Ashe." he said, and the four of them blinked.

"Seteth told me that for this mock battle, the usage of horses and pegasi is forbidden, so unfortunately, Ingrid and Sylvain, you will be left out for that reason. However, if horses and pegasi were allowed, the entire scope of this battle would be different. In terms of single combat, you both are more likely to come out victorious in hundreds of more scenarios than Annette and Mercedes, as your training for all combat focused and more diverse." he said, and the two of them nodded, seeming slightly bummed out.

Cetanu hated that, and made a mental note to spend time with each of them personally. "Dedue, you are not participating simply because of the limitation of the battle. Your lack of speed will lead you to become a target of Archers and mages, and the last thing I need is for you to fall in battle to something you have no honest defense for." he said, and Dedue closed his eyes.

"Make no mistake that this is the reason. I have no qualms with you or your people from Duscur. I will not allow that to be a reason people consider. If anyone dares claim that I left you out for your race, I want to be told. I will silence any of those fools." he said, and they seemed surprised at his venom.

"But I assume that both of our opponents will bring mages and archers, and that will be the only thing you couldn't respond to. If magick wasn't allowed, you would have been my first choice, as you are unmatched within all three houses in terms of sheer physical strength and stamina." he said, and Dedue nodded. "Thank you Professor."

After they departed, Cetanu wandered the Monastery, wondering if he made the right decisions. He chose to relax and not think about it to much, as he would find out tomorrow. "You're out late." he heard, glancing to see Abaddon leaning against a wall, one of the Monastery's many cats resting on his shoulders.

Cetanu nodded. "This is entirely foreign to me. Caring about the feelings of people that I don't spend my life with or kill with is unusual." he said, and Abaddon chuckled, the cat rubbing it's face against his.

"You're finally starting to become a normal person. Relish in it. You've spent over two decades with that same look on your face." he said, and Cetanu looked to the ground. Abaddon was right. He hated being so blank, so caged into his own flesh. Abaddon was Jeralt's left hand man, and arguably a better successor to the band than Cetanu himself.

"I've tried looking it up and asking around about it, but I can't pinpoint a reason why my face is like this." he said, and Abaddon smiled. "You have an idea, but you aren't sure if you're just imaging a connection, right? I've had Seteth try and intimidate me, get me to stop you from snooping around." he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes, and Abaddon shrugged.

"Whatever you've stumbled on has at least a little truth to it. If it didn't, I wouldn't be told to keep you away from stuff by the Archbishop's lapdog. If I were you, I'd assume it was true and dig deeper. I've already talked to those idiots. We're all behind you. If we have to, the 'Seven Deadly Sins' will point their evil at the Church itself." he said, and Cetanu seemed surprised.

However, he was greatly moved and appreciative of Abaddon. He was always the one that seemed to be the most positive, and was like family to Cetanu. "Are you departing tomorrow?" he asked, and Abaddon nodded.

"We'll be departing at first light. Apparently there's a minor noble acting up in Adrestia and the Church wants us to shut him up. We should be back soon. It's not a hard mission. I'm not sure why all of us are being sent, but apparently Seteth isn't ready to trust all of us yet, especially you." he said, and Cetanu hummed and nodded. He figured.

"Do you know what the connection I see is?" Cetanu asked, and Abaddon nodded. "Between you and me, and please keep this between just us, I'm not surprised." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head. Abaddon knew something, didn't he? The Archer known as the Demon Lord of Envy sighed, shaking his head.

He mumbled something to himself about being in trouble before looking to Cetanu. "The reason you went on a solo mission when you were eighteen isn't because of some coming of age ceremony we made up. The real reason was that Jeralt wanted to protect you, as we were employed to hunt Blood Demons." he said, and Cetanu turned his entire body to his friend.

Abaddon knew what that meant. Cetanu was very easy to read despite his lack of expression. This was a silent, subconscious threat, his desire for further knowledge overwhelming his mind. Abaddon sighed again.

"These Blood Demons were monsters in appearance. The local dialect referred to them as Strigoi, but after reading the books Seteth told me to keep you away from, I realized that they bore similarity to 'The Hidden'. Infact, the last one we killed, a gruesome, misshapen old woman of a monster, bore the Crest of Timotheos." he said, and Cetanu froze up.

"As the only member of the band that's Jeralt's age or older, I can say that I've had run ins with them multiple times. They can procreate somehow. However, every one I've killed has had a still heart, an empty stomach and bowels and an immense amount of Iron in their system." he explained.

"What about the weakness to Fire? One of my students burned me a few weeks ago and it's only just recently healed." he said, and Abaddon sighed, looking to the sky. "They are weak to Fire. And they also heal from injuries faster after feeding on blood, or eating normal food, though not to the same degree." he explained, and Cetanu inhaled.

"How do they feed? Surely people don't offer themselves up to them." he mused, and the Archer nodded. "It's different every time, but they seem to have some way to pacify victims. Infact, there's even a few theories that they produce a venom from their fangs that makes the experience pleasurable for the victim. Although, that's only some of them." he said, and Cetanu nodded, his gaze shifting back to the earth.

"Thank you, Abaddon. I'm glad that I have a friend like you." he said, nodding softly, wishing he could smile. Abaddon nodded, watching Cetanu walk off. The Archer sighed, shaking his head before heading back, as they were departing within the hour.

"What did you tell him?" Jeralt asked as soon as he returned, the other 'Sins' waiting on him to return. "Nothing too important. He's growing less patient. It's been twenty one years, and he hasn't even smiled. Sooner or later that will cause him to break. The question lies in who will cause that break and who will suffer."


	8. Ezekiel 39:6

The next morning, the Lions met with Cetanu at the gates, as the mock battle was being held right outside the Monastery in a nearby field. He fitted all of his students with whatever weapons they desired, and he watched everything like a hawk.

"We're gonna win, right?" Annette asked, and Cetanu nodded. "If the three teams are being led by us Professor, than all I have to do is out think Hanneman and Manuela. That shouldn't pose to much of a challenge, but defeating everyone else should be." he said, allowing the Knights to lead him to a specific location. When he arrived, he noticed that there was a single shrine like stronghold to the northeast, and that Manuela was firmly standing within it, surrounded by the students she chose.

Cetanu saw Edelgard, Hubert, Petra, Ferdinand and Caspar. An odd formation, but a problem nonetheless. To the northwest, he saw a small hill, noticing that Hanneman was atop it as if searching the terrain. He noticed a small forest between, his keen village allowing him to see Claude, Hilda, Lysithea, Ignatz and Lorenz on the Golden Deer's team.

"What's your first impression, Professor?" he asked, and Cetanu hummed. "I will try to be involved as little as possible until it comes time to deal with my associates, but besides them, I gauge that Hubert, Edelgard and Lysithea are the biggest threats." he mused, glancing to a much higher hill to the west.

From that hill, Cetanu saw Rhea and Seteth, the latter standing forward with a soldier to his side. "This will be the first test of the year, a Mock battle between the three houses. Now, I know that you all have real weapons. Please try not to kill or main each other. This is merely a test of skill. Your goal is to disable your opponent in a way that if this was a real contest, their life would be lost. The final House with a student left standing wins." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

The soldier next to him blew a large horn, signaling the start of the battle. Cetanu inhaled. "Felix, Annette and Mercedes, the three of you move towards the Golden Deer cautiously. Me, Ashe and Dimitri will trail behind while watching the Eagles." he said, and his students all nodded.

The Eagles watched cautiously as the Blue Lions moved first, heading straight for the Golden Deer. "Do they consider Claude more of a threat than me?" Edelgard asked, almost offended at the notion. "Not at all. He wants to take Hanneman and his brats out quickly so they won't get in the way of the real meat of it. The new guy is something else." Manuela said, and Edelgard noticed a hazy look in her eyes and sighed.

As Cetanu expected, the Deer reacted quickly. Arrows started flying their way, Mercedes using a barrier spell she learned from Lillith to protect most of the class. Cetanu moved at a casual pace, exhaling as he scanned the surroundings for his own opponent, Hanneman. He was aware that he'd be at a disadvantage, but he still wished to have a friendly dispute with the Crest Scholar.

Cetanu heard shouting up ahead, narrowing his head as two figures headed their way. "Mercedes, fall back. Annette and Felix, advance." he said, the duo moving forward. An arrow flew past them, bouncing off of the shoulder of Cetanu's armor. He found this rather displeasing and exhaled deeply to try and relax himself as he saw Lorenz and Ignatz close in.

Felix and Annette moved rather well together, Annette launching a fireball at Ignatz and Felix clashed his blade against the shaft of Lorenz's lance. "I see that your Professor was able to stop you from skulking about scaring the fair maidens with your evil glare, Fraldarius." he said, and the swordsman narrowed his eyes.

With Ignatz and Annette engaging in a veritable shootout, the rest of the Lions were able to slip by, heading for Claude and company, arrows still flying their way. Felix shoved back, coming down and getting parried again.

It was clear by the fourth parry that Lorenz was at an advantage because of his longer, easy to maneuver weapon. Felix kept trying to sneak strikes in but they were all easily parried. However, this was an advantage in itself. If Lorenz was stuck on the offensive, he couldn't use his superior reach to mount an offensive. Felix's plan was soon interrupted, as an arrow flashed but inches past his eyes and caught him off guard.

This allowed Lorenz to shove back and jab, stabbing Felix in his left thigh and vastly hindering his movement. He stumbled back, and Annette saw as Lorenz moved for another strike. She shifted her attention away from Ignatz and launched a fireball in Lorenz's direction, the heat singing the lance and burning his hand, disarming him and allowing Felix to swing upwards, tearing his uniform asunder and leaving a shallow wound across his chest. He called out, stumbling before falling back.

Annette, distracted by Felix's hard fought victory, didn't notice Ignatz approach with a sword, only noticing at the last second as he swung, her arm being cut as she fell to the ground, the blade pressed against her throat.

"Lorenz of the Golden Deer and Annette of the Blue Lions are out!" Seteth shouted, and Cetanu frowned, expecting just a little more from Annette. However, they had approached the remaining Deers, splitting off into single combat. Dimitri was clashing blades with Claude, Lysithea and Mercedes were slinging spells back and forth, and Ash was clashing Axes with Hilda. All the while the Black Eagles had yet to move.

"Do we really have to do this?" Hanneman asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Unless you wish to forfeit to me." he said, and Hanneman chuckled. "I feel that won't be a possibility." Cetanu nodded in return, inhaling as he waited for Hanneman to make a move.

The first thing Cetanu saw was a ball of fire flying at him. He avoided it easily, only to be struck by what he assumed was a bolt of lightning. He grimaced at the pain as the sparks cackled through his body, almost boiling his blood. He stumbled, Hanneman launching another fireball as Cetanu rolled away, barely able to move from the electricity.

Felix had closed in on Ignatz, able to easily overwhelm and disable him with a small flurry of strikes. His leg was bleeding, and it did hurt greatly, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. "I yield!" The boy screamed, Felix stopping his blade at the boy's nose before exhaling. With him out of the way, he cast a glance to Annette.

The girl seemed rather upset that she was out first, something that she assumed Cetanu wouldn't be happy about. "Relax. It's just a mock battle. I'm sure the caped crusader won't have a problem with it." he said, turning towards the Black Eagles and exhaling.

"Ignatz of the Golden Deer is out!" Seteth shouted, and Cetanu felt a sense of pride in Felix, the young man having made incredible progress. "I can see that you're in pain from that attack. Are you sure you don't want to yield?" Hanneman asked, and Cetanu furrowed his brow.

Rising to his feet, Cetanu thought back to all of the techniques he'd learned, and one came to mind. He shifted his stance to the one he took in his initial training session with his students. Bent knees, spread legs, one arm extended fully, and the other balled into a fist over his heart. He inhaled, his body still stiff as he nodded to Hanneman.

Another fireball came at him, but this time, he made no attempt to move. Focusing all of his muscles, he simply flexed and opened his extended left palm, the ball of fire dissipating from the force of his attack, the last sparks exiting his pores. With this liberation, Cetanu had to move.

Using the unusual momentum from that attack, he rolled his arm and inhaled as he folded back fists behind his back and leapt forward, flipping and landing in front of Hanneman, who was rather surprised at the amount of distance he covered. Cetanu jut his head forward, colliding skulls with the intellectual, dropping him to his back, dazed.

"I yield. There is no way I can best you if you can shrug off my magick." he said, and Cetanu nodded, holding his hand out to Hanneman. He helped him up, the two sharing a mutual respect. "If I wasn't so motivated by my students, I would have fallen to you. I owe my victory to them." he said, and Hanneman chuckled. "I'm glad you hold your students in such high regard, Professor."

"Professor Hanneman of the Golden Deer and Mercedes of the Blue Lions are out!" Seteth called, and Cetanu looked to his students. Hilda was struggling to keep up with Ashe, who was incredibly laid back as he shrugged off her attacks. Dimitri and Claude were evenly matched, and Lysithea was looking to make her move. Cetanu tilted his head. He couldn't have that now.

When Felix approached the Black Eagles, his leg was already colored red. He knew he should simply concede, but the prideful warrior in him said to search for at least one more victory. The six Adrestians looked at him. "One of you come forward and face me." he said, panting and leaning on his sword.

Petra stepped forward, a blade in her hand. The two nodded to each other in respect before clashing blades. There was a clear match in speed, but Felix had slightly more strength than his opponent. He tried to remain relaxed as they parried blades, but the seeping wound in his leg was quite the distraction.

Lysithea heard that her Professor had been disabled, and was worried about who it was that took her teacher out. He was overbearing, very enthusiastic about her and her dual Crests. She scanned the field, seeing Claude and Hilda engaged in battle, noticing that the Black Eagles were still stationary, something that she found concerning.

However, she figured that her chances would be better if she disabled the Blue Lions, her allies only numbering two in comparison to the six of the Eagles and four Lions. She inhaled, focusing her energy as she took aim at Dimitri.

"I don't think so." she heard, spinning to see Cetanu approaching her, his clothes obviously burnt or singed by something. She turned to him, redirecting her attention. "Stay back! I can really hurt you." she said, and he exhaled, his blank stare like a ghost.

She began to shake, and Cetanu continued to approach slowly. "Hanneman told me that you were his best mage. Seeing as how I just got done besting him, I was wondering if I could test you as well." he said, and she continued to quiver, his ethereal features causing her focus to break.

Cetanu was right in front of her, their height difference incredibly apparent as he leaned over her, his dead dark eyes staring into her's as his blue hair fell around his face. He opened his mouth, and Lysithea swore she saw elongated fangs and a forked tongue.

"Boo."

"Lysithea of the Golden Deer is out!" Seteth called, watching as the church's priests simply carried the girl off, surprised that the best mage from the Golden Deer was simply scared into fainting. He hoped this didn't drag on too long.

Also hoping that this wouldn't last too much longer was Felix. He elegantly parried blades with Petra, who remained stone faced and stalwart in the face of the young swordsman. However, as he ducked under a slash and swiped upwards, feeling the recoil of it being parried, his leg went numb.

He simply fell to the right, and knew that this was his last chance to take Petra with him, focusing as much as he could as fast as he could, he swiped with all of his might, cackling electricity flying from his blade and striking her flesh, her body seizing and dropping to the ground as she lost consciousness.

"Petra of the Black Eagles and Felix of the Blue Lions are both out!" Seteth called, and Cetanu exhaled as he moved towards the Black Eagles. He had one singular opponent in mind. He glanced to Ashe and Dimitri.

"Stop wasting energy! It's only the three of us and the Eagles still number five!" he shouted, shaking his head as he continued to move. Ashe took this as a signal to end his scrap with Hilda.

Ashe was not an arrogant fellow, but he knew that despite her Crest and her training, Hilda's lack of work ethic and ambition caused her to be a poor match for him. He outmatched her at every turn, and when he disarmed her and placed his axe against her collarbone, she yielded without much of a struggle. Ashe looked to Dimitri, who was still well matched against Claude.

"Your Highness, do you want my assistance?" he asked, and Claude looked to Ashe, as if surprised he'd ask. Dimitri took this chance to kick Claude's legs out from under him and lay his blade across his throat.

"Do you yield, Claude?" he asked, and Claude smirked, looking from the blade to Dimitri. "Well, I must say that I wasn't expecting for things to go like this, but with that guy as your Professor, I must admit I'm a little jealous." he said, sighing before admitting that he yielded.

"Claude and Hilda are out! The Golden Deers have been defeated six victories to two against the Blue Lions!" Seteth called, surprised at how efficient the Lions were with minimal losses.

Standing amongst the Eagles, they all hesitated to make a move against Cetanu. He looked to Petra and Felix, who were being collected by the church's healers. Picking up Felix's discarded sword, he inhaled.

"You know exactly why I'm here." he said, and he heard a sigh as Manuela walked past her students, blade in hand. She discarded the white robe he normally donned, only wearing the revealing green dress that left little to the imagination. Her students seemed surprised at this, and all backed up to give her space. "I propose that we do this in single combat. Your students against mine and me against you. Of course, since I have twice the students it's only fair." she said, and Cetanu bowed.

"Of course. While we wait for Dimitri and Ashe, shall we begin?" he asked, and she nodded, approaching slowly, having never seen this man with a blade before, his grip loose, the blade laying over his shoulder.

Manuela began to jog towards Cetanu, but she opened her palm, trying to use a leeching spell that would hurt him and heal her. However, when the spell struck, it only slowed her down ever slightly. It was as if he didn't have any energy to drain, so all it did was hinder her and burn her magick resources. She swung down and Cetanu turned and ducked, parrying the blade without shifting his stance.

He jerked his hand, spinning in a circle as he rose. Manuela weaved under the attack, swiping vertically. Rotating his wrist, Cetanu brought his blade up to parry. He jabbed his free hand against his blade, causing recoil for Manuela, Cetanu flicking his wrist to slash in her direction.

Using her momentum, Manuela leaned back hard, almost bending over backwards as the blade whizzed overhead. She lurched forward, coming down as hard and fast as she could. Cetanu pulled back, blocking the strike and shoving forward.

He came down, Manuela shifting her weight and parrying the attack, dragging his blade as she moved her blade in a half circle. She jerked upwards, disarming Cetanu before coming down, grabbing the blade in both hands.

Cetanu shifted his weight, the blade crashing down hard on his armored shoulder, flying from Manuela's grip and clattering to the ground. She reacted quickly, reaching down to her thigh and grabbing a pair of the daggers she had just incase.

She swiped with the left dagger, Cetanu stepping forward and catching her arm by the wrist between his forearms. It was an odd catch, and Manuela used her right dagger to jab as his exposed midsection.

He shoved her captured arm away and repeated the motion with her other arm, catching it between his forearms. This time, he jerked his arms, popping Manuela's elbow out of place and forcing her to drop the dagger.

His next move was to pop her elbow back into place with another jerk of his forearms before simply allowing his right palm to hover over his opponent's abdomen as the returned to a slightly more neutral position.

"How did the fight get less even after I disarmed you?" She asked, Cetanu's palm still in the same place. "Simple. Allowing you to disarm me expanded the number of possibilities. Now that you had to worry about any number of attacks from any of my limbs from many angles, you were more than likely to become flustered and made mistakes. For example, you never once tried to kick me with those heels." he said.

"So you like getting kicked with heels, do you?" she asked teasingly. Cetanu tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing over the students that were half surprised and half awed at their little skirmish. "I wouldn't have minded. Of course, those little dinner knives would be an interesting alternative." he said, and Manuela giggled to herself.

"You win, Professor. I can't match you in battle or wit. Shame about that lack of a smile." she said, and Cetanu nodded. He knew it was a shame, but he chose not to dwell on it, as Dimitri and Ashe had arrived, seeming slightly winded and run down.

"What's to say we each pick a student and watch them go at it?" he asked, and Manuela hummed. "That's interesting enough. I'll have Caspar go first." he said, and Caspar laughed, running front and center, as if desiring the attention.

Cetanu noted that he was barehanded. Not an axe, sword or even a pair of gauntlets on him. Just his raw physical power. This made Cetanu wonder. Should he chose Dimitri, who would easily overwhelm the boy with his superior size, strength and experience, or Ashe, who was closer to Caspar's size and experience?

"Very well. I chose Ashe." he said, and Ashe blinked, walking forward and placing his axe down. "Are you sure about this, Professor?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "You can do it. Just don't take too much damage. And remember what I taught you." he said, and Ashe nodded, walking forward.

He bowed, something that was met with an awkward reception. Caspar did bow, but it was obvious that he wasn't used to it or expecting Ashe to bow to him. He inhaled before simply barreling forward, something that Ashe wasn't expecting.

Ashe inhaled, narrowing his eyes as he watched Caspar's movement. Cetanu had taught him a fighting style that he wasn't entirely sure he could use, as it was quick and flexible, but it required an immense amount of skill and focus to keep himself in line.

Seeing a wild right haymaker come his way, Ashe weaved to his own right, grabbing Caspar around the waist and flinging him overhead. He rolled back, standing on his hands as Caspar winced in pain. He walked backwards, driving his knees towards Caspar's face.

The blue haired boy rolled out of the way, watching Ashe's knees hit the ground. He tried to follow up and simply punt his opponent, but his attack was scouted, and Ashe grabbed his leg, wrestling him to the ground on his stomach and hooking legs with his opponent before falling on Caspar and wrapping him in a sleeper hold.

Caspar struggled to free himself, but the fact that one of his legs was disabled severely hindered him. He could feel himself slipping after moments, the hold vicelike and unwavering. Caspar felt a rush of disappointment as he began to tap out, submitting and admitting defeat.

"Professor Manuela and Caspar of the Black Eagles are out!" Seteth called, almost unnerved at the way Cetanu was leading his students. It was as if he was trying to teach them how to be killers, no aspiring leader or knight having need for such strangleholds.

Cetanu looked to the final six remaining. "Since there's three of each of us, what's say we have three single combat exhibitions?" he asked, and Edelgard narrowed her eyes. "What do you have in mind?" she asked, and he hummed. "Dimitri will take on Ferdinand, I will battle Hubert, and Ashe will face you. Will that suffice?" he asked, and Edelgard blinked. "You won't take me on yourself?" she asked, and he tilted his head.

"Why would I do that? This is a training exercise. An opponent like you would do wonders for Ashe's growth, just like someone like Ferdinand would be good for Dimitri's." he said, and she frowned, as if offended at his thought process. "Very well. We accept." she said, and he exhaled.

With each pair separated, Hubert seemed incredibly displeased. "You offend Lady Edelgard by not having her face your best." he said, launching a ball of negative, dark energy at him. He stepped away from it, tilting his head. He wasn't used to such magick, as it was hard to learn and tolerate. "I am not her teacher. I look at her not as a spoiled child to receive the best of everything, but as a simple hill for my students to climb." he said, and Hubert narrowed his eyes, his hand moving in a different motion.

Balls of acidic energy began to rain down from the sky, Cetanu owing his survival to his speed and reflexes, honed by training with his father and allies. A swath of dark energy rose up from below, many balls and streams of energy striking and battering his body.

"You will not refer to Lady Edelgard in such a manner." he said, and Cetanu wished he could smile. He knew that picking Hubert would be the biggest challenge for him, as he was searching for a way to deal with magick without relying on weapons or magick of his own. It was a driving reason for his constant physical training.

Hubert began to pelt him with repeated attacks, from balls of energy to the broad attack from below. Cetanu knew that he could take this damage, his eyes passing to Dimitri and Ferdinand, who were evenly matched. He turned to Ashe, who was being overwhelmed by Edelgard, the two dueling with axes. He knew that Ashe's specialty was the bow, but he knew that for this battle, he'd need to disable Edelgard to gain the advantage.

Shifting his attention back to Hubert, he inhaled. He'd need to figure out how to escape the maelstrom of energy that was surrounding and pelting him first. He started to feel the energy in a less literal sense, as if trying to see what made it tick.

He figured that this was negative energy conjured and controlled by Hubert's mind, meaning, at least to Cetanu, that it was emotionally powered. This means that unless Hubert's intention is to kill, the energy won't do much more than hinder and annoy him. This was a theory that Cetanu was more than willing to test out.

Straightening himself out, he inhaled and simply began to walk forward. Hubert's attacks never slowed down or ceased, but they increased in quantity. Cetanu used one of the few spells he'd learned from Lillith, a 'one second ward' spell that sent white magick energy shooting around him like a barrier, deflecting Hubert's attacks as he closed in.

Placing his fists against Hubert's abdomen and chest, the Adrestian mage hesitated, narrowing his eyes. "How were you able to get through all of my attacks?" he asked, and Cetanu straightened out after Hubert yielded. "It's quite simple. I could tell from feeling out the attacks that you had no intention to kill me. Of course, if this was a true contest, I wouldn't give you a chance to cast an accurate spell." he said.

"Are all of Captain Jeralt's mercenaries as arrogant as you?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "Far more so. My Pride is a simple virtue of mine. If I'm not confident in my ability to outmatch a nobleman's son, regardless of who he is, than I'm not qualified to work for them. We serve the weak and less fortunate. If I find you to be a worthy opponent, I will not work for you." he said.

Hubert narrowed his visible eye, as if agitated by that statement. "And what of Lady Edelgard?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "It goes both ways. While I work for the weak, should the Emperor or Imperial Princess throw a large sum of gold at me, I would consider the job, be it within my code of conduct." he said, and Hubert seemed relaxed by the statement.

"I am a man that has taken many lives, Hubert. Far more lives in far more places in far more ways than you. Do try to keep your scheming at a minimum when it comes to me and my brothers. We're treating this place as a chance to relax and unwind. Especially my friend Asmodeus." he said, Hubert narrowing his eyes as he departed.

Two bright glows, one a gray color and another a bright green, flashed from behind Cetanu. When he turned, both Dimitri and Ferdinand fell to the ground, their weapons shattered and their bodies damaged.

Cetanu narrowed his eyes. This was the one thing he couldn't account for. No matter how much research he did on Crests, he had no first hand experience against most of the Crests in this battle. The Crest of Cichol was one of these unknowns, and apparently it was enough to cause Dimitri to use his own Crest in retaliation.

Infact, Hanneman had explained to him that the combat usage of Crests was user dependent. Some had perfect mastery over their Crest, and others just prayed that it activated itself. Cetanu hated this, and trained with Sylvain to draw out the powers of his Crest.

Dimitri as well, but without Ferdinand as a member of his class, there wasn't likely a chance for him to use his Crest in combat, especially as many times as Cetanu would need to face it to process it properly.

He sighed, turning to Edelgard and Ashe, his ears waiting for Seteth, church staff carrying Ferdinand and Dimitri off the battlefield.

"Dimitri of the Blue Lions and Ferdinand and Hubert of the Black Eagles are both out!" Seteth shouted, only Ashe and Edelgard remaining. The battle was one sided, as Edelgard was able to outmatch Ashe at every turn, even unarmed. The girl had immense physical strength and stamina, and her technique was also impeccable. However, there was something else.

He knew that she had a Crest, the same Crest that, if his materials were correct, belonged to the Sky Dragon, the one who created the Blood Demons, Seiros. But, there was something else. Her immense power far exceeded Cetanu's expectations, and he could tell there was another layer to her power. Was it possible that she had a second Crest? If so, which one?

As they continued to fight, Cetanu watched Ashe move as well as he could for someone who had a decently long fight beforehand. He stumbled and was kicked in the face, falling to the ground and struggling to rise to his feet. She walked up to him and pushed him down, placing her boot on his chest. "Yield." she commanded, and Ashe looked to Cetanu.

"You've done amazing. If you yield now, how would you feel?" Cetanu asked, and Edelgard narrowed her eyes as she looked to him. "I-I'd feel like I let the team down." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head. "Why? You defeated the second biggest threat from the Golden Deer and left me with enough information to completely obliterate Edelgard. You are on a fast track to becoming my star pupil. Rest." he said, and he nodded, closing his eyes and laying back, yielding.

"Ashe of the Blue Lions is out!" Seteth called, and he narrowed his eyes. "Lady Rhea, should we allow this to continue? It hardly seems fair to let a trained and experienced killer with a horrifying background like his fight the Imperial Princess." he mused, and Rhea only looked forward. "Let them fight. In battle, you do not win if you defeat an army but leave the commander unscathed."

"Do you really wish to fight me? Isn't it rude to fight women?" she asked, and Cetanu tilted his head. "You really think I'd pass up a chance to legally punch the Imperial Princess?" he asked, and she blinked at his abrasive statement.

In that blink, Cetanu had closed in and stood directly in front of her. She froze up, realizing that in a single blink a dangerous killer had closed in, very much so. He was nearly chest to chest with her, and she realized that no matter how she moved her body, he could counter it.

"You can make your move, Edelgard. I'm waiting." he said, and she found herself genuinely intimidated. Even if she drew on her magick and the power of her Crest, she knew that a single strike wouldn't stop him, because he'd simply dodge. it. She inhaled, closing her eyes.

"What did you learn from watching me fight?" she asked, and Cetanu hummed. "You are incredibly powerful. I can see why you will be the next Emperor. However, you're still human. And humans have emotions and thoughts that can be taken advantage of."

Edelgard didn't get it. How could he defeat her just because she was human? Was he claiming that he wasn't? "Elaborate." she commanded, and Cetanu simply stared. "All I had to do to defeat you was to say something outlandish enough to make you blink. If the first comment didn't work, I had three in my head to garner a reaction out of you."

Edelgard was surprised. He had thought rather far ahead. However, his posture relaxed as he spoke, and Edelgard was simply gathering her magickal energy. She wasn't done yet.

She felt something touch her, and saw Cetanu's armored fingertips laying against her abdomen. She didn't know whether to blush at the contact, or to fear for her life. "Your focus, and therefore your channeling of your magick is broken and disrupted. You're last attempt at victory slipped by. Checkmate." he said.

She wasn't going to take that laying down. After all, it was his fingertips, and even if he curled his fingers and punched from the distance his hand was, it wouldn't hurt much anyway. She made to throw a right punch, but never got to.

Cetanu did exactly that. He curled his fingers and delivered a punch to Edelgard's abdomen. The force was immense, as the grass behind Edelgard shifted as her hair blew back, the girl simply crumpling to the ground at Cetanu's feet. "Edelgard of the Black Eagles is out! With twelve victories to five losses, the Blue Lion House is victorious!" Seteth called.

Cetanu looked down to Edelgard, picking her up and realizing that she was rather light. He carried her towards the Monastery, which wasn't far away. Hubert began to trail him as expected.

"I will kill you, you do know that?" Hubert asked. It was more of a threat, but Cetanu took it as small talk. "She was formidable. Not many would still try to fight after being so outmatched." he said, and Hubert frowned.

"What kind of sorcery was that last attack?" he asked, and Cetanu looked back to him. "I'll explain on the way back. Lead me to her room so I can put her to bed." he said, and Hubert begrudgingly nodded.

"If you noticed, my five opponents, Hanneman, Lysithea, Edelgard, Manuela and yourself are all mages. My specialty, especially now that I have Garreg Mach Monastery as a training ground and both Professors as training partners, is fighting magick unarmed." he began, noticing a few of the students having recovered and roaming about.

"I learned that the abdomen is some form of magick epicenter, like there's an invisible well in the womb that allows one to gather magick. By breaking the concentration of that well and then striking it, you can essentially spill it's contents throughout the body and disable someone." he explained, and Hubert narrowed his eyes.

"So you used Lady Edelgard's magickal ability against her?" he asked, leading him past the greenhouse and up the stairs. "Of course. I essentially made Edelgard self destruct inwardly. However, that gust of wind and her unconscious state are results of a modification I made to it."

"You see, that attack normally makes one cough up blood and tears a hole in the stomach and kills you. With Edelgard, I used the same instantaneous ward spell I did against you. By encasing the well inside Edelgard in a barrier, the spill became more of an explosion, and all the excess force was expelled from her pores. This leaves her unconscious and without magick for a few hours." he explained.

He laid her on the bed, and Hubert frowned. "I did not realize how immensely we underestimated you." he said, and Cetanu shrugged as he headed for the door. "Many people do. Unless they know about all of my annoying monikers ahead of time, they think I'm just some disinterested child." he said, exhaling.

He looked back to Edelgard as he left. There was something off about the amount of energy he expelled with his attack. He'd have to ask Lillith when his fellow 'Sins' returned.


	9. Isaiah 40:31

The next morning, Cetanu was told by a soldier to report to the audience chamber and to be there rather quickly. Glad he had a chance to spend the night to bathe and go over the events of the mock battle, he had no objections.

When he entered the audience chamber, he bowed to Rhea, who maintained that smile on her face. "At ease child." she said, Cetanu rising to his feet. Before Rhea could say anything, Seteth interjected.

"Do you have any idea what you were doing!? Fighting your fellow Professors and striking and humiliating the Imperial Princess? What kind of man strikes a young girl in such a fashion!?" he exploded, and Cetanu only stared, his dead eyes not leaving Seteth.

"I am a teacher. It is my job to teach. If any of my students saw or heard about what I did, they'll have learned something. They'll have learned that someone's station shouldn't make you hesitate. Why, in a battle, the more important the kill the better." he said, goading Seteth.

"Lady Rhea, I implore you to remove this monster from his position! I will find someone to replace him." he said, and Rhea looked from Seteth to Cetanu. "What say you?" she asked.

"You must have knowledge of all of my past work. From being called the Leviathan of the Black Flag to the Black Spirit and so on and so forth. If you put me into power knowing that, or learned that at any point and left me in power, you must trust me."

He found Seteth's disdain for him annoying. He'd have to eventually spar with the old man, see if he could learn something. "I am content here. A massive library, my mercenary allies and my Father all here. I don't have to kill, and I can devote time to learning about Crests, Fodlan and so on." he explained, not liking having to show such weakness.

"If I so desired, I could slay the entire Blue Lion class in the name of Garreg Mach and the entire Kingdom would come crashing down on you like a thousand suns. I could slay the entire Golden Deer class and have the Alliance at your neck." he continued, his blank voice not betraying his inward anger.

"Or I could have killed Edelgard on that field and had the entire Empire at your back. What you don't understand, Seteth, is that I have the power, resources and allies to wipe out all three classes and have all of Fodlan in a rage that can be directed at this very monastery." he said.

Seteth was speechless, shocked that anyone would dare speak of such treacherous, villainous activities so blankly and openly. "However, I choose not to. I like my students. I like the students from the other classes. I will do anything to see them succeed and survive in their lives. Even strike you down, Old Man." he said, and Rhea actually chuckled at that jibe.

"Your loyalty is immensely appreciated. I thank you for being so honest with me. Your work yesterday was impressive, and I'm glad to see the progress your students have made. I must talk to Seteth about a military concern, so you are dismissed." she said, and Cetanu bowed before departing.

With the ebon mercenary gone, Seteth turned to Rhea, a scowl on his face. "You must relax, Seteth. Having someone humble Edelgard might be what the girl needed. Of course, it's also a boon that he has stopped asking such questions. I have yet to hear from him about it. When he speaks, it is only kindness and reports of his student's progress. It's as if he's given up on those things." she said with a smile.

Seteth sighed, shaking his head. "He's very dangerous, Rhea. I understand Captain Jeralt, but his son, who looks nothing like him, is a liability I don't think we should continue having."

Weeks later, Cetanu was once again summoned to the Audience Chamber, this time told to bring Dimitri with him, the blonde warrior almost nervous. "It's not every day I get summoned to see the archbishop. Aren't you worried?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head.

"Rhea is a non-factor to me. Seteth is the issue." he said as they entered the Audience Chamber. The two bowed, and Rhea nodded her head in return. "Since it has been nearly a month since the mock battle, we have decided to send you on your first official mission." she began.

"We've trailed a rather cruel band of mercenaries, bandits, what have you to Zanado. Since your class was so incredibly successful in the mock battle, we decided that we'd send you with a battalion of Knights as supervision and back up." Seteth said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes slightly.

"So you want, on a moment's notice, me to prepare my entire class to travel to some area they've likely never been to actually kill bandits? Wouldn't my Father be more suited for this? Or any of our noteworthy members?" he asked, and Seteth folded his arms.

"Are you afraid of the challenge, Professor?" he asked, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. He didn't like this. There was something wrong. It was almost like Seteth set this up, and he didn't like it. At all.

"It's not a challenge to me, but you're asking me to have a bunch of children, some who've never been in an honest battle in their life and only know how to use weapons because we've trained them, go on an extermination mission." he said, inhaling.

"If you expect me to be gungho and enthusiastic about ordering me to turn these innocent children into killers simply because it may benefit the Church, you would be mistaken." he said, looking to Dimitri, who seemed uncomfortable.

"I will accept the order, but I have a demand. I wish for my former mercenary allies Asmodeus Von Macuil and Abaddon Al Aubin to accompany us. As their teacher, I wish to have the best aid available should something go wrong." he said.

"If something does go wrong, you'll be held accountable to the highest extent. Do take that into consideration." Seteth said, and Cetanu looked to Rhea.

"My condolences, Your Grace. It must be a nightmare having to listen to him speak every day." he said, and she chuckled as Cetanu led Dimitri from the chamber.

"I've never seen anyone talk to Seteth like that." he said, and Cetanu glanced back to him. "He's very fishy. I hope that I can get along with him, as I can tell that he's a formidable warrior, but for now, he's a thorn in my side." he said, and Dimitri tilted his head.

"Seteth, a formidable warrior?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded as they headed towards the classroom, where everyone would be waiting for them. "Seteth, from his posture alone, exudes the aura of an experienced war veteran. He also helps oversee military affairs, which implies some battle skill and intelligence." he deduced, humming.

"Although, Rhea surpassed him in every regard. It's as if Seteth's purpose is to keep Rhea from acting. I can tell, Dimitri, just by looking at her that Rhea is the most powerful person, man or woman, in this Monastery."

Dimitri seemed rather taken aback by this statement. He assumed that Rhea was simply just a monarch, someone who doesn't do anything but smile at children, hold babies and pray for people's success. To hear his Professor call her the most powerful person in the entire monastery was surprising to say the least.

When they reached the classroom, Cetanu exhaled. "We've been given a mission. Effective immediately, we're to suit up in our armor, grab our horses and weapons and the like, and head to Zanado post haste." he said, and they all seemed taken aback.

"Zanado? What for?" Ingrid asked, and Cetanu folded his arms. "We're being chosen to kill a gang of bandits that have made that place their base or hideout. Seteth was clear that we're to leave none of them alive." he said, and they all took this differently.

Dimitri seemed interested in what his classmates thought, and Dedue was impartial. Ashe, Ingrid, Mercedes and Annette seemed rather unsettled by being sent on a mission to kill, but Felix and Sylvain seemed less bothered. Cetanu nodded, understanding.

"We will have a backup battalion from the Knights of Seiros to help incase we get overwhelmed, injured and so forth. You may take your time and do as you please, but meet me by the gates by sundown. Dismissed."

Walking through the monastery, Cetanu wasn't happy. Flanking him was Asmodeus and Abaddon, who were also surprised at the order. "They aren't ready to take a life. I understand that it might be necessary in their lives, but there's something off about a bunch of teenage students being sent to kill in the name of a Church." Asmodeus said, shaking his head.

"The harlot is right for once. Although, I'm almost as surprised at you. Why choose us?" Abaddon asked, and Cetanu looked to him. "Because I know something will go wrong. Perhaps it's my paranoia, or I am getting soft, but I almost know that something will happen." he said, narrowing his eyes.

"I don't know if Seteth is scheming, or there's an Imperial noble furious with me for striking down the Princess, but something will happen. When it does, the three of us will deal with it. Assemble a small troop, twenty four men and women, and meet me by the gates at sundown." he said.

Sothis seemed to awaken when Cetanu was alone. "You need to calm down. If you start making moves like this you'll end up at war with someone. I understand that you are all monsters, but you must realize that there's no chance you'd come out victorious." she said.

Cetanu seemed to disagree. "We would prevail in many situations. Unless Rhea herself steps on the battlefield I will not fall." he said confidently. "Why her?" Sothis asked, and Cetanu inhaled.

"She's the strongest. The apex predator in this jungle. If she so desired she could strike me down at any moment. It's that fact that keeps me training. I've finally found someone that I wouldn't stand a single chance against. I must fight her." he said, his focus shifting as Sothis sighed, shaking her head and folding her small arms.

Cetanu wasn't well pleased with how his day was going, so he chose to head to the Dining Hall. He didn't pack much for long trips, so he decided that he wanted to eat beforehand.

As he sat and ate, he continued to play scenarios through his head, trying to figure put how he'd utilize his students to complete the mission without doing all of the work himself.

It would be the safest bet, but the problem would be that while he ran about Zanado killing a bunch of bandits, his students would learn nothing and also be more vulnerable to surprise attacks. Cetanu didn't like this.

He was distracted by someone sitting across from him. When he looked across the table, he was surprised to see Edelgard sitting across from him, alone. "To what do I owe the esteemed privilege?" he asked, and Edelgard chuckled. "If your face and voice weren't so blank, I'd assume that you were being sarcastic."

Choosing to ignore her comment, Cetanu looked down to his plate, which was empty. He exhaled. It was getting to be a problem when he ate. It wasn't often, but it was a lot regardless. "I wanted to thank you for the chance to face you. I heard from Hubert that you carried me back to my room, and how you defeated me so swiftly. I must say I'm impressed." she said.

Cetanu nodded, remaining silent as he allowed her to speak. "What I'm saying is that I'd like for you to train me. If there are others like you, I would be remiss to pass this chance up." she said, and Cetanu tilted his head.

Did he really want to train her? What could he get out of it? He disregarded the last thought, but rubbed his chin regardless. "Why me? Why not ask my Father or one of the other Sins?" he asked, and she blinked. "The.. Sins?" she asked, and Cetanu nodded. "The name an Adrestian nobleman of some form gave us. Me, My Father and our five best make up a group called the Seven Deadly Sins. In Faerghus, we're the Princes of the Eternal Flames, and in the Alliance, we're the Council of the Seven. Rather unneeded names, but fun to have." he said, and she nodded.

"If I were to ask one of your allies, who would you recommend?" she asked, and Cetanu took a second to think about it. "It depends on what you want to learn. If you wish to use your immense strength to don heavy armor and so on, then my friend Beelzebub, the Demon Lord of Pride, is the best fit." he said, and she hesitated.

"Why not train me yourself?" she asked, and Cetanu thought about that for a second. "What's in it for me if I, the Professor of the Blue Lions, choose to train the leader of the Black Eagles? I heard about that Battle of the Eagle and Lion nonsense. It'd make my victory harder to obtain." he said.

She seemed to have a multi-faceted reaction to that. But one of the facets of her reaction was sadness. It was as if she was disappointed. Cetanu hated that look, and exhaled. "If I agree to train you, and before I train you once, I would like to make a request." he said, and she nodded. "Anything." she said.

"I would like, on the first day we train, to bring me any and all materials that Adrestian Libraries have on 'Blood Demons'. If there is none, I will understand, but until you prove that there isn't, or present me with the books and scrolls I desire, I will not train you."

Edelgard seemed rather surprised by that. "...Blood Demons?" she asked, and Cetanu nodded. He already had a lie prepared, thankful for his blank face in these situations. "We've come across them a few times on missions as mercs. They were incredibly powerful. I'm trying to learn about them to see if they pose a threat to the Monastery. I of course am sharing my findings with Rhea, and Hanneman, as there seems to be some connection between the Crests with no known bearer and these creatures." he said, and Sothis seemed surprised.

"What are you doing? You're letting the enemy have more information than even your students!" she yelled, and Cetanu pretended to not hear her. Edelgard nodded, as if convinced by his elaborate story.

At sundown, Cetanu and his brothers waited for the Lions, who all arrived with their horses loaded and saddled. Besides Dedue and Felix, they all seemed nervous, even Dimitri. Cetanu inhaled, not too happy about this.

"Unfortunately, you're being assigned to take lives. I understand if you wish to turn around and head back. You will be safe, and I've instructed my friend Samyaza to care for anyone who chooses to remain behind." he said.

They all had a determined face, silently nodding and steeling themselves. "Very well. Abaddon and Asmodeus will ride with me, and our backup will ride around us. We hope to reach Zanado and return within a week or a week and a half. Let us depart."

The trek to Zanado was quiet, as the Lions were incredibly nervous, something that the Knights noticed. "You should talk to them, Tanu. They seem a little worried." Asmodeus said, and Cetanu looked from his ally to his students. Cetanu, Asmodeus and Abaddon rode at the front of the line, the Knights of Seiros selected by his brothers riding at the back. He inhaled, shaking his head. "You know I'm not good at this. It's something that requires emotion." he said.

Abaddon looked to Cetanu and laughed. "Sounds to me like you're annoyed. That is an emotion. Maybe this is what you need. You've always kept a distance from anyone besides us. Bond with them." he said, and Cetanu shook his head, the one eyed Sniper having a good point.

Falling back, Cetanu fell in line with his students, Ingrid and Sylvain noticing that Cetanu was also using Asmodeus' horseback skills. "Are you all alright? You've been rather quiet." he asked, and they seemed hesitant to answer.

"We're nervous. We've never thought that we'd have murder as a school assignment." Sylvain said, and Cetanu nodded. "I understand that. However, you must take this as a lesson for yourselves individually. How you feel about this being a school assignment from a church can help shape the person you wish to be as you grow." he began.

"This can also help you as leaders, as some of you will be. If there were bandits in your territory, would you allow a place like Garreg Mach to deal with them, or would you send your own forces?" he mused, and Ingrid seemed less than enthused.

"We're more concerned with the fact that we're being instructed to kill people, regardless of who they are. It just doesn't seem right." she said, and Cetanu tilted his head slightly. This was new to him. He'd killed many, many, many times. He never truly thought about how others felt about it.

He never thought about how someone like his students would react to that first kill. That first time watching the life disappear from someone's body. Watching their body go limp, their body either succumb to injury or sickness, or fight viciously to stay alive and fail. He had no advice for this.

"For those of you that have never killed before, it is difficult. You must understand that you may remain behind. However, just remember that this is a learning experience. You do not know how you would react to taking a life until you do." he began, finding his words hard to actually say with such a blank voice and face.

"I do not wish to see you become detached killers like me, or men tortured by the weight of the lives they've taken, resorting to some vice to keep yourself together, like Asmodeus." he said, wondering if it was appropriate to speak of his brother in arms like this.

"The truth is, for many, killing is never easy. You might have sleepless nights, or feel a fear that someone would come for revenge, or that you are a terrible person, haunted by the deed. Even someone as flamboyant as Asmodeus wishes for nothing more than to settle down and find someone to marry, and leave all of the death and violence behind him." he explained, inhaling.

"Lillith is a healer for the sole purpose that she hates death. Abaddon is very religious, and prays for forgiveness from the souls of his victims, and even spends his wages to benefit the families of his victims. He feels it helps him atone." he explained, realizing that it wasn't hard to talk about something like this.

"Beelzebub's vanity is partially out of fear, as he's afraid that if he doesn't keep himself in tip top shape that he'll fall victim to the same fate as our targets. Samyaza's lethargy is partially due to mind altering herbs that keep him in an elated state of being. When he's sober, he's a short tempered wreck of a man. Even my Father partakes in heavy drinking and gambling to forget his past transgressions." he continued, inhaling.

"My point is that you won't know how taking a life will affect you until you do. I am fully allowing you to remain behind with bodyguards once we run into these men, but do know that I will always be around to support you. Whether you're still my students or not, all you have to do is call for my counsel and I will appear. It matters not what I must go through. For you, I will travel through the Flames of Eternity." he said.

They seemed rather comforted by his words, glad that he seemed to care about them. Dimitri looked to him, one single question nagging at him. "How do you cope with it, Professor?" he asked, and Cetanu glanced to the ground, wondering exactly how he did.

"I don't. Sad as it might be to say, I lack the emotional capacity to feel much about it. For me, every kill is another stepping stone in my quest to grow stronger. Mastery over the martial arts, weaponry, magicks, tactics and so on. My victims, numerous as they may be, are simple stones lining the path I walk in my life. It's awful to think about from a normal person's view, but to me, I am thankful that whatever powers that be deciding that my personal growth was worth so many lives." he said.

That final statement made them all nervous again. They couldn't honestly get a read on their Professor. He was a quiet man that lived in a bloody, wartorn world, detached from all of humanity and without outward expression or emotion. Annette had a question for her professor as well, the moon high in the sky as they rode on.

"Professor, what kind of magick do you use? I've never seen you cast a spell before." she said, and Cetanu glanced back to her, wishing he could smile at her curiosity. "I use Geomancy. I am of course experienced with healing magicks and the magick of the Faith, particularly the Skaldic magicks I learned from Rhea." he said, and his students seemed surprised.

"You learned magick from Lady Rhea?" Mercedes asked, and Cetanu nodded. "She teaches me magick and the Faith of Seiros, and in return, I give her someone to be herself around and more importantly, give her time away from Seteth and his nagging. The Magick she's taught me is what us mercs call 'Skaldic', meaning that it's magick that draws upon the energy of song and dance." he explained, and his students seemed even more flabbergasted.

"You? Singing with the Archbishop?" Felix asked, and Cetanu nodded. "You might think it's odd, but my ability to hold a note because of my lack of emotion makes it much simpler. Of course, I am experienced Dancer as well. I learned the art from some women in Brigid, and turned it into a fighting style that I taught to Ashe." he explained.

The rest of the students looked to the gray haired boy, who chuckled, seemingly embarrassed. "Jealous?" Cetanu said, the students all turning their attention back to his stoic quip. Cetanu continued. "The rest of the magick I use is Geomancy. For me, this means drawing on the power of the Earth to magnify my physical ability. This is how I was able to best the giant wolf Asmodeus spoke of." he said, his students having a look of relief on their faces.

"You all look like you're relived. That was when I was around fourteen or so. It's been a while since then. I probably won't need magick next time." he said, and they all laughed at his humor.

When they stopped to rest for the night, Cetanu rejoined with his brothers. "How'd it go?"Asmodeus asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "I'm not sure. I tried to reassure them that everything would be alright and then chatted with them for a while, but I'm not sure anything was achieved." he said, and Abaddon smiled.

"You have to remember that this is your first mission. You'll likely be instructed to kill a great many people this year, all in the name of the Church's justice. Teach them whatever you must, Cetanu, but teach them to watch their backs." he said.

"Are there any weak links? Do you want us to focus our attention on any specific students?" Asmodeus asked, and Cetanu tilted his head, not entirely sure. "Do what you feel is best. In terms of armed combat, Annette and Mercedes are the most vulnerable, but there being a chance that the Crown Prince of Faerghus might get hurt, captured or killed worries me greatly." he said, and Abaddon sighed. "We've got you. For now, rest. We'll get there before sundown tomorrow. You should be able to think it through until then."

As they neared Zanado early into the next afternoon, making far better time than they expected, they noticed that Cetanu was riding farther ahead, and that Asmodeus and Abaddon were riding with them, something they had mixed feelings about.

"Does our Professor really not have emotions?" Dedue asked, breaking the slightly awkward silence. Asmodeus tilted his head and pursed his lips, Abaddon simply closing his good eye and sighing. "To me, he does. Tanu is always trying to express himself, but it's almost like he don't know how." Asmodeus said, and Abaddon nodded. "It's as if there's a lock on his emotions and he's searching for the key. Rather desperately. Of course, you'd all know a lot about that, having broken into his room before the mock battle." he said, and they all seemed to freeze up a little.

"You knew about that?" Ashe asked, and the two nodded. "Yeah. Cetanu asked us what we thought because he sensed it. Of course, he can also smell you lot too, since there were eight foreign bodies in his room." Asmodeus mused happily.

"What was your idea behind breaking into his room anyhow?" Abaddon asked, locking his emerald eye on them. "We hoped to get to know him better. Maybe learn something about him." Ingrid said, and the two both looked to each other. "And?"

"We found nothing. His room is bland, and besides the books on his desk, is nearly untouched. It's like he doesn't sleep." Felix said, and Asmodeus nodded. "He doesn't sleep often. Since he's a geomancer, he draws energy from the Earth to keep himself awake. Of course, Garreg Mach also has people too. He gets the least sleep when he's around people that he can leech too." he said, almost musing more to himself.

"Anything interest you lot?" Abaddon asked, and they glanced between themselves. "He had books on Demonic Beasts and Hero's Relics. It was weird." Sylvain said, and Abaddon hummed. "Cetanu believes that the Hero's Relics were made from something inhuman. He assumed Demonic Beasts, but he was incorrect." he said, trying to lead them on a different path, so that they wouldn't discover the wider scope of Cetanu's desperate research.

It seemed to work, because they looked amongst each other. "We respect him greatly, but are half of the things said about him true? We had a bit of fun and searched the library for documents of his many nicknames and titles, and the things we found were… unsettling to say the least." Dimitri said, and the two looked from each other to Cetanu's back, wondering what was passing through his mind.

"It is. Not having emotions makes him efficient. In fact, it's the reason why I was to take over the band should something happen to Jeralt. Cetanu and Jeralt were in agreement that he wasn't fit to lead because of his lack of emotions and empathy." he said, and they all seemed even more nervous.

"But! Being around you adorable little rascals has made him much more empathetic. It's like you guys are starting to get him to open up. As his closest allies, his family, we're very appreciative of that. It's unheard of for Cetanu to pledge loyalty to anyone, even the Bossman." Asmodeus said, winking at them to try and lighten the mood.

"Why ride alone? You're undoing all of the work you made to get close to them?" Sothis said, and Cetanu shrugged, exhaling. "This place is dangerous, and it has me on edge." he said, and Sothis nodded. "This place does feel familiar. I can't recall exactly, but I feel like I used to spend time here. No… I lived here at one point. Ah, but when?" she mused, more to herself.

"The Earth is upset. It's messing with my Geomancy and my focus. I should have never learned magick. I hardly even use it." he said, and his voice almost cracked, something that Sothis noted. This place was almost like the keyhole to the chest of Cetanu's emotions. All that was missing was the key, but what was it? And what emotion would the mercenary feel first?


	10. Isaiah 40:11

Falling back a few hours later, Cetanu leapt from his horse, his eyes watching the horizon. "Over this small hill is a bridge. They're camped out in a bowled out plateau." he explained, and his brothers nodded. "What should we do? You're in command here." Asmodeus asked, and Cetanu inhaled.

"Try and spread out. Encircle the bandits. They number almost thirty. If I give the call, close in and give them no chance to flee. I want them all dead before midnight." he said, and the two nodded.

"There will be two signals. The first will be a shout. If you hear it, close in and kill. The second will be my magick. If you sense or see it, close in and pull my students out. This means that something went wrong and I will deal with it myself." he said, and they nodded again.

Cetanu waited for the horses of his students to catch up as Asmodeus and Abaddon moved to follow his orders. "Off your horses. Over this hill is our prey. They went through the trouble of finding a bowled area to camp out. We will move in a single unit and kill as we move along. Do not separate from me unless instructed. Understand?" he asked, and they nodded, following him.

As they moved, Cetanu found it odd. They were over a bridge, in a closed off area that had only one way out. Something was off. It was a set up if he'd ever seen one, but he had no choice but to follow his orders. When he returned, he'd have to have a long conversation with Rhea, as he wasn't fond of this.

Suddenly, Cetanu heard a horn, narrowing his eyes as he stopped his students. "Ashe, launch a few arrows in an arc. They know we're here, best to try and scramble a few of them." he said, watching as arrows began flying from his side as they moved.

"Annette, launch fireballs in addition. They outnumber us almost four to one, we need to at least disable a few before we get past this bridge." he said, the small girl nodding as she began launching small fireballs in a similar arc.

When they got passed the bridge, Cetanu narrowed his eyes again. There were two paths, one far more populated than the other. "There's two paths. We'll split up. To the west, Annette, Felix and Ingrid. The rest of us press forward. If you're overwhelmed, flee and call for me. Understand?" he said, and they all nodded, splitting up as they pressed on.

The first bandit, a man wearing a bandana with only a left breastplate over a woolen shirt, charged with a sword. Cetanu met him, drawing his own blade and effortlessly plunging the blade into his chest. The man called out weakly, falling off Cetanu's blade as he looked down to him, exhaling.

A man came from the left, and Dimitri met him with a proud cry, plunging his lance into the man's shoulder. Dedue following up, chopping into the man with his axe, the iron passing through his flesh as the life slipped from his eyes.

A man came from behind, and Mercedes squealed in shock, only for the man to be met by Ashe, who parried swords with the man. Ashe was far smaller, and thankfully Sylvain came from the left, ramming his lance into the man's abdomen and felling him.

Sylvain's hands began to quiver, his breathing uneven at the bleeding body before him. Mercedes held her hand over her mouth, and Cetanu watched them. He'd never seen anyone have such a reaction to killing. It was unnatural to him.

"I understand that it must be hard for ones such as yourselves, but do know that that man's goal was to end all of your lives himself. He held no hesitation in his posture, and his eyes were dim, devoid of worth and compassion." he said, and Sylvain nodded, exhaling as they pressed on. Three down, many left.

To the west, the trio Cetanu split off were doing rather well. With Annette's magick keeping their opponents off balance, Felix and Ingrid were able to fell as many men as needed. The blue haired swordsman felt nothing, knowing and understanding that it was him or them, and he had far too much to live for.

Ingrid was the same. She knew that as a knight, her job would come between her own desires and beliefs. She was fully prepared to take lives for the greater good, and seeing the lack of hesitation and the sheer amount of killing intent in each man they came across, she knew that killing them was the right thing to do.

Annette was much the same. Watching people scream as she burnt them was a painful experience, but she knew that if she didn't hurt these people, that they would remove her head from her shoulders, and that they'd do the same to her friends.

They came upon the leader, a lone, box headed man with long hair and a disgusting attitude, holding an axe and barking out orders, seeing their Professor and classmates approaching from the other, northern pass. The man was aggravated by this, and the trio all nodded to each other, ready to take the man down by themselves.

Launching a fireball at the man, Annette covered for her teammates, who charged in with proud cries. The man turned to them, narrowly avoiding the flying flames and grabbing his axe. He parried Ingrid's lance, barely avoiding a slash from Felix.

The man continued to weave around them, looking for an opening to retaliate. "I will not be fucking killed by some damn brats!" he screamed, enraged as he came down and chopped the shaft of Ingrid's lance in half, a ball of fire from Annette the only thing stopping him from killing Ingrid.

That knowledge made Ingrid stumble back, a chill running down her spine as she panted. The man looked to Annette and grit his teeth. "You little magick bitch!" he screamed, charging in her direction. She blanched, launching balls of fire in fear as he closed in. He avoided each of them, their trajectory easily telegraphed by her movement and lack of focus.

Felix moved to stop the man, interrupting his charge and trying to strike him. It was fruitless however, and he was knocked back by a hefty boot. He panted, and Ingrid joined him, the two charging again, Ingrid wielding half of her broken lance.

To their north, Cetanu and the rest of the students continued to mow down the bandits, the ebon mercenary glad that his students adjusted to the battle well. He could see that the kills were affecting their mindset, and he would make sure to try and comfort them, as best as a stoic killer like him could.

He noticed the battle ahead, seeing Kostas of all people. He knew now why he was assigned to this. Kostas had some sort of problem with the church and the students of the Academy, and Cetanu knew that he was the executioner to contrast Rhea and Seteth's judge and jury. He exhaled, calling for his students to charge. Kostas however, had other plans.

"Like hell I'm gonna let you brats take me out! Fuck what that masked bastard says! BOYS!" he screamed, shadows being cast over the plateau as bandits riding giant, vulture like monsters descended upon them.

Kostas used this chance to flee and whistle, a giant wolf beast running up the wall of the mountain and leaping to protect him. Cetanu exhaled, realizing that his students wouldn't stand a chance. "Brothers!" he called, arrows and magick raining down from the peaks of the plateau as the monsters and men were pelted alike.

Abaddon, his bow drawn, launched magickally charged arrows that struck the birds in their wings, Asmodeus casting binding spells to hold their riders down, Cetanu barking out an order to kill the wounded and disabled enemies and get to their classmates, who were being overwhelmed, even with the handpicked Knights of Seiros backing them.

Cetanu was fighting the giant wolf himself, his students moving in a tight formation to help their classmates, their enemies decreasing in number with the help of his allies. He leapt into the air, the wolf's monstrous paw swatting him like a fly as he hit the ground.

He coughed, rolling away from the pouncing monster and slicing it's ankle. It whimpered, giving him enough time to rise to his feet and charge. He inhaled, watching it claw the ground and send dirt and stone his way. He powered through the attack, swinging his sword two handed and cleaving the beast's foot from it's leg.

He leapt up, stabbing the creature in the side and dragging his blade to tear it's insides asunder. The beast struggled and flailed, but Cetanu remained grounded and stalwart no matter it's position. He pulled his blade and stabbed it in the left eye, the blade passing into the brain and killing the monster instantly.

As they passed through the last few bandits and rejoined their classmates, the Lions realized that victory was in sight. Felling one of the giant birds, Dimitri called for them to rally and form a tighter formation, sure that they could defeat the small troop surrounding Kostas. As they moved, another giant bird swooped down and broke their formation, and Kostas leaped forward, his axe swinging at whatever it could.

He narrowly missed Dimitri's shoulder, avoiding an attack from Dedue, disarming Sylvain with a swipe, avoiding Annette's fireball and striking Ingrid with an elbow that sent her stumbling into Felix. Mercedes moved to grab a sword, Kostas making for her with fervor, Cetanu dealing with his six most skilled bandits.

Abaddon moved to launch an arrow at Kostas, but another giant bird swooped in on their position, knocking his aim off and striking one of his own men in the back of the neck and felling him. He turned to the bird, and felled it with a combination of bow and magick, Asmodeus providing assistance.

Mercedes held up a sword feebly, realizing that she couldn't do anything until Cetanu got to her, or her classmates came to her aide. However, Ashe leapt in front of her, grabbing the sword and using both blades to stop the attack. He grit his teeth, and Kostas laughed, pushing down and breaking his guard.

Using his training from Cetanu, Ashe brought both blades back up, Kostas following his movement and doing the same. Both blades came flying from Ashe's hands, the boy throwing a desperate kick at the man's abdomen.

Kostas caught his leg and laughed. "Nice try you little shit!" he screamed, throwing his leg and knocking his balance off as he came down. Ashe's mind temporarily blanked, the most incomprehensible white hot pain searing his mind and body as he looked to his right arm, Kostas' axe severing it at the elbow.

Both Ashe and Mercedes let out bloodcurdling screams, the rest of the Lions turning to them in the chaos and letting out varying shouts and screams. However, Cetanu was silent. With three of the six men closing in on him, the sight of his student's severed arm hitting the ground left him speechless.

Asmodeus and Abaddon moved as quick as they could. Calling for a retreat, the two ran to the battlefield and headed immediately for the Lions. "Do we grab the arm!?" Asmodeus called as they bolted across the field. Abaddon growled. "Fuck the arm just get the kid to Lillith!" he shouted, the two hoping to protect the children from further harm.

Cetanu exploded. Something came over him. It was a new feeling, an outward explosion of negativity, of magickal energy, of EMOTION. He was feeling something well and truly on the inside and out for the first time in his life. There was only one word that could describe the emotion he felt, and as he used his armored forearms to stop his attackers from piercing his flesh, he knew that word was rage.

A pulse of magick knocked their blades away, and Cetanu threw a punch directly beneath him, roaring with an unbridled fury as the energy of the earth itself erupted beneath him, almost disintegrating the men surrounding him. Kostas turned to the flash of light and saw a man garbed in black, an enraged scowl on his face and murderous glint in his eyes, the force of his own emotion causing his hair to float and blow in an invisible wind.

"Wh-what the fuck is that!?" he screamed, another whistle causing another trio of birds to fly over the horizon at Cetanu. Possessed by the emotion he was finally able to feel and express, he held his arms out, the birds seizing in the air before exploding in bright flashes of viscous gore. The third bird was caught about the neck and driven to the ground.

Cetanu lifted his fist and roared again, driving his fist into the creature's skull and ceasing its movement, it's beak flying off into the distance, it's skull blown to bits. Cetanu turned, advancing towards Kostas again, Asmodeus and Abaddon reaching the Lions.

"You kids need to follow us and get the fuck out of here! Now!" Asmodeus called, and Abaddon frowned, physically restraining Dimitri as they retreated. "Let me go! I'll tear him limb from limb!" he screamed, as if possessed by the same emotion as Cetanu. It wasn't until the Lions saw Cetanu approach Kostas that they realized what they were dealing with.

The magickal aura, the emotion plastered across his face and his posture said that he'd not leave here until Kostas was no more, and it inflicted a bone chilling terror upon them, even Dimitri's tantrum replaced with a surprised sort of fear.

Ashe had slipped out of consciousness, Abaddon using magick and a torn section of Dimitri's cape to stop the bleeding. "We have to move now! This shit can get infected and kill him if we waste time!" he screamed, and they all began to retreat as quickly as they could.

They saw Kostas charge Cetanu, but they knew that nothing would stop him. He was the Demon Lord of Wrath, The Minister of Darkness, The Prince of The Black Flame, The Black Spirit, The Leviathan of The Black Flag, The Ashen Demon, The Gargoyle of Garreg Mach, Cermait of the Battle Squadrons. He was a monster without rival, and he was enraged.

In his mind, Cetanu blacked out as soon as he saw Ashe's arm sever. He walked an empty path in his subconscious, wondering exactly where he was. He was unsure how he ended up here, but he desperately wanted to get back to his students, especially Ashe, whose life was changed forever, if he even survived.

He soon came to an impasse, realizing that it went on forever, pondering if he himself was dead, and that this was some trip to the afterlife, if there was one. He realized that he felt a sense of fear. He was for once in his life, scared.

What would happen to Ashe? What would happen to his students should he fall? Would seeing his dying body send them on a downward spiral? Would Dimitri become a tyrannical ruler? Would Mercedes lose faith? Would Annette lose her chipper attitude, or would Ingrid give up on her dream of being a knight? Would Felix shut himself in and not show his kinder, more humorous side? Would Dedue blame himself or would others blame him because of his race? Would Ashe even survive? Would the young archer even want to with an arm? How would his family, his Father and brothers in arms, have reacted? Would Asmodeus and Abaddon even have succeeded in rescuing his students?

"I see that you've finally found it." he heard, a raspy voice speaking to him from nowhere. "Found what?" he asked, and it laughed, an echoing sound that annoyed him. "The key. When we were born, we were dead." he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. We?

Was the voice he heard supposed to be his subconscious? His inner feelings come to haunt him? He shook his head. "What do you mean 'dead'?" he asked, and the voice laughed again. "Us being born from her womb was too much. Oh so much." it began, speaking with an odd tone, like an adult does to exaggerate things to children.

"But, She didn't want us to be dead. Oh no no no, no! She asked the Sky Dragon for help! Yes… she did help the best way she could. But… it wasn't good enough. She died for us, you know. Gave her life for us." it explained, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes.

The Sky Dragon? If the voice spoke the truth, than he was being told that his mother, horrified at Cetanu being born unliving, gave her own life to restore his, and that the Sky Dragon, the ages old child of the Goddess, was the being that let that come to pass. Cetanu had more questions however, and he had to ask the voice more.

"Who are We?" he asked, and the voice laughed. This time it was a maniacal, evil sound that made Cetanu rather cautious, silently searching for whatever it was that was speaking to him. "We are you, silly! You just need that little kick in the pants to wake me up so We could become You!" it said, an ear splitting noise ringing through Cetanu's ears.

It was a horrid sound that made him turn to see a blob of mist slowly taking a more solid shape. "And now… I'm going to make We… You." it said, taking the shape of a human, specifically Cetanu. But, he wore much different clothing, odd striped pants that were black and pink, and a shirt hidden by a small overcoat that went over oversized hands.

But his skull was the most curious. Long, rope like tangles of hair the same color as Cetanu's cascaded from it's skull, and it's face was much like descriptions of a certain Blood Demon he'd read about in books, it's sinister, monstrous clown like face staring holes into him.

Cetanu suddenly understood. "The shock of being brought back to life caused Me to create We. I am Us, and Us is I." he said, and the voice nodded, reaching to it's skull and tearing at it's pale flesh, straps of leather snapping as it exhaled. "I am your emotions. Locked away by Fear… and woken up by Fear. I can make you so much stronger.. so much so..." it trailed off, the clown like mask being pulled off.

The monster's face was Cetanu's own, cheeks stained by tears and a smile on his face, but a sense of anger in his dead eyes. He held the mask out to Cetanu. "I can come back to you, and We can be human… finally. All you have to do… is Let Me In." it said, laughing lightly as Cetanu looked to the mask.

Cetanu inhaled, reaching out and grabbing the mask. "C'mon.. put it on!" the other Cetanu said, and Cetanu sighed. He held the mask in his hands and pulled it to his face. "You do know.. everything, right?" the monster asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Then you know what to do when you get home?" it asked, and as he placed the mask on his face, he nodded. The monster began to laugh manically and Cetanu inhaled, whole for the first time.

With Ashe unconscious in a wagon behind them with Abaddon, the Lions rode at top speed towards Garreg Mach. "What the fuck happened!? How could we get beaten!?" Sylvain screamed, and Asmodeus looked to him with a frown. "You were victorious. The enemy was vanquished and you left alive. That is a victory." he said, and Sylvain grit his teeth. "What about Ashe!? Can you really be so calm when he might die!? Are you people even human!?" Dimitri boomed, and Asmodeus scowled.

"Do you think we like killing people, Prince? Do you think we wake up and whip our cocks out and say 'whose gonna die today?' like some fucking animals!?" Asmodeus shouted, growing tired of the children.

"Cetanu is back there fighting off giant monsters and bandits, including the bastard that tried to kill you guys they day you met, and you only care about how I feel? What kind of fucking King are you!?" he screamed, Dimitri shrinking back.

"He's wounded. Lillith should be able to stop the bleeding and possibly close the wound. He'll have one arm but he'll be alive. Don't waste your time pitying him or scolding us adults because we've seen this happen before! Think how Cetanu fucking feels!" he screamed.

"He damn near loves you brats, and he didn't want to go on an extermination because of shit like this! Think about how he's going to feel when he gets back and has to listen to Rhea and Seteth, and then see Ashe, scarred and broken come to class with one arm. You might think Cetanu is a demon, but even demons feel."

When Cetanu came to, the moon was high in the sky and every body on the plateau was viciously torn asunder. The gore was so plentiful and so widespread Cetanu couldn't tell where one person ended and another began. Even their weapons were shattered to pieces, Cetanu's arms, legs and chest covered in blood and viscera that even splattered him in the face. He inhaled and let out a loud, frustrated scream, finally able to feel and express himself.

When Ashe came to, he was in the infirmary, and there was a beautiful woman hanging over him. He looked to his right arm, and winced at the pain he felt. "Relax kid. You need rest if you're going to survive." she said, and Ashe nodded, fading back off to sleep, pain numbing his mind.

Manuela watched Lillith work as best she could, shaking her head as she rose. "It's pointless, isn't it?" Manuela said, and Lillith nodded. "Even with the power of my Crest and all of my magick, I can't save him. That axe was covered in some kind of poison, and the time it took them to get back here let it get too deep into his bloodstream. He has three days at best."

Cetanu allowed himself to wander as he headed back to the Monastery. He felt off, having so many emotions rush him so fast. The travel back, he'd cried, laughed, smiled, and expressed as many emotions as he could. He had nothing holding him back, and he could abandon his research cold, realizing that all of his questions were, for the most part, answered.

"What happened to you? I couldn't reach you. It was like something was holding me down." Sothis asked, finally speaking up as Cetanu saw the Monastery in the distance. "I was busy talking to myself." he said, and she sighed, realizing that he was now capable to being sarcastic. "Whatever it was, it sure changed you. Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, and Cetanu nodded.

He smiled, a genuine action that almost unnerved Sothis. "I feel amazing. No more spending my days inwardly angered and frustrated because I can't laugh or smile. No longer shall I be called so many vile names befitting my past self. Even now, the magick I use flows through me more fluidly, as if my emotions guide the Earth itself." he said, and Sothis was convinced he'd lost his mind.

As he approached Garreg Mach, a gatekeeper noticed that it was him, his clothing filthy and hair mussed. He looked to the soldier and tossed something to him. "Make sure Seteth gets this." he said, and the young man screamed, dropping Kostas' severed head.

In the wee hours of the morning, Cetanu was greeted by an empty Monastery, making his way towards the infirmary with a more relaxed disposition than normal. "What happened back there?" he heard, turning to see Abaddon. Cetanu finally looked to his brother in arms and smiled, inhaling happily.

The man known as the Angel of the Abyss was unnerved, but waited for an answer. "I found it, Abaddon. Ashe's injury finally broke the stone. I can smile now, laugh, cry. It's what I've always wanted." he said, and Abaddon sighed, chuckling to himself.

"Are you sure you want to see Ashe as you are now? You might not like it." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head, his blank face returning as he silently strode on, running into Lillith a minute or so later, a sad look on her face.

"Cetanu!" she said, surprised to see him. He nodded respectfully, inhaling. "How is he?" he asked, and she sighed, shaking her head. "The axe was poisoned. It took them about a day and a half to get back here and since then, it's been two days. He might not even see the end of the week. Abaddon has been teaching the Lions and morale is incredibly low. Seteth has pronounced you either dead or a deserter. It's terrible." she said.

Now that he could feel, Cetanu was empathetic, closing in and embracing Lillith, who was slightly taller than the Professor. She was surprised, but the calm hand that he ran across her back was comforting. "It's alright. You did what you could. I'll take care of things from here." he said, and she nodded, realizing that something had greatly changed about the youngest Sin.

When Cetanu came upon Ashe's bed, the boy was awake, sweat covering his forehead and staring at the ceiling. Cetanu took a seat on a stool next to his bed, earning a surprised look from him. "Professor! You're okay!" he said, coughing and panting as he tried to turn and face him.

"I wish I could say the same for you. I am so sorry, Ashe." he said, and Ashe was surprised to see genuine sadness in his eyes that matched a frown. It was the first emotion he'd seen from Cetanu, and it surprised him. "Professor Manuela says I won't survive. Everyone has cried for me already. Even Dedue. I can't bear to see them cry anymore." he said, and Cetanu could tell that his time was coming.

Cetanu closed his eyes, realizing that he wanted nothing more than to save his student. He understood now that he truly loved them like they were his own younger siblings, and the fear of losing them was insurmountable.

He thought about all of the magick he'd learned, all of the books he'd read, every tale he'd been told, everything he'd done, and wondered if there was something he could do to save Ashe. Suddenly, one terrible thought came to mind.

"Do you want to live?" he asked, and Ashe looked to him, a weak, confused look on his face. "What do you mean?" he asked, coughing feebly as Cetanu inhaled. "I… can save you. It might be worse than surviving with one arm, but I can cure you of this poison and heal your wounds for a price." he said, and Ashe seemed perplexed.

Cetanu leaned forward, brushing the gray hair away from the boy's brilliant eyes, clouded with the nihilistic defeat that certain death brought. Cetanu smiled. "If you'd be willing, I can heal you. You'd be able to make class in the morning, listen to me ramble about nothing and train with us. To be able to make your family proud, and make me as your teacher, proud." he said, and Sothis narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing? This sounds like some vile manipulation." she said, and Cetanu ignored her. Ashe looked to his missing arm, and then back to Cetanu. "What would I lose?" he asked, and Cetanu closed his eyes, realizing that he was putting everything on the table, exposing the truth of his research combined with the truth he learned from the mask wearing monster in his mind.

"Your humanity. If you'd be willing to forever become my student, forever see the next day even when those you know have long passed, and only see death when you wish it, and only by my hand, I can save you now so that you can help them live better lives." he said, and Ashe seemed to be even more puzzled.

"Forever? You think I'd last that long?" Ashe quipped, laughing as sweat poured down his face. Cetanu smiled at him, and Ashe realized that his Professor's smile was something he always wanted to see. The smiles of his siblings, his friends, his Professor. Even if they were distant memories, he wanted to protect those smiles.

"I… I'll do it. I want to live and.. see everyone smile. Please, Professor." he said, and Cetanu smiled. "What are you doing!?" Sothis screamed in his head, watching with fear running through her veins as the Demon made whole by Fear worked his sick, ungodly magick.


	11. Ezekiel 3:18

Early the next morning, Seteth and Rhea strolled the halls of the Monastery, enjoying a brief respite between duties. A lone soldier nervously came up to them, holding a box in his quivering hands. He cowered under the stare of the tree like man who frowned at him.

"P-p-Professor Cetanu wanted me to give you this." he said, and the two green haired leaders looked to each other. Seteth took the box and nodded, dismissing the soldier with a glance. Seteth peered inside the box, slamming it shut and closing his eyes. "What is it?" Rhea asked, finding the look on his face odd.

Abaddon realized that his lecture on the formations of Infantry and Flying troops wasn't being paid much attention to, and that he himself didn't want to do it. When Seteth, infuriated and flanked by a small group of soldiers, entered the classroom, he found it to be a relief.

"Where is he!?" he screamed, almost enraged, and Abaddon narrowed his eyes, folding his arms. "Where is who, Sir Seteth? My class is whole." he said, and Seteth strode up to Abaddon and grabbed him by his shirt, the two green eyed men locking eyes. "Don't give me that shit!" he shouted.

"Mister Abaddon, what is going on!?" Mercedes shouted, the soldiers surrounding them and blocking the exit. "No one leaves this room until that bastard Cetanu's location is revealed to me!" he shouted, and Abaddon narrowed his good eye. "You declared him dead or a deserter. My class has been deprived of their motivation since you sent them on an extermination crusade." he said.

Seteth narrowed his eyes. "A soldier handed me the bandit leader's head in a fucking box and said it was from the Professor. I find it hard to believe that he's dead." he said, and the Lions looked between themselves, surprised at Seteth's words.

"What would his location, should he be alive, mean to you? Kostas' head means that the mission was a success. One of his students is fated to die any day and you think he'd be hiding out like a coward?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Big Brother!" they heard, a small girl with odd bright green hair pushing past the soldiers to get to Seteth. "Not now Flayn, I'm dealing with something very important." he said, and she tugged on his sleeve. "You must hurry! The Kingdom boy isn't in the infirmary!"

Standing at the door of the Goddess Tower, Rhea leveled her gaze at Cetanu, who stood before her, Ashe standing next to him, his missing arm somehow restored. "I am glad to see that you are alright, Professor." she said, leveling that same smile on him.

Much to Rhea's surprise, a dashing, confident smile was leveled back at her, a bright, cheery look that really made the young warrior look rather handsome to the monarch. "It is a pleasure to see you again, My Lady." he said, bowing before her. "Would you like to explain what happened in Zanado?" she asked, and Cetanu hummed.

"I will pass this time, My Lady. Instead, I wish to thank you for everything. If not for your infinite kindness and the blessing of the Goddess, I would never have been able to awaken my emotions. And of course, I would've never been able to save my dear student, either." he said.

Rhea found his words incredibly odd, his nonchalance and suddenly arrogant attitude rather off to her. She smiled, leveling a small nod at him. "I am glad that you were able to heal young Ashe. You will have to tell me how you did it one day." she said, and Cetanu smiled.

He began to leave, Ashe following him. "Of course. But for now, I must get back to class and cheer my students up. Do call on me if you need anything at all, My Lady." he said, bowing once more before heading to the classroom.

On the way to the Blue Lions classroom, Ashe seemed very unnerved. "What is going on, Professor? How did you make my arm grow back?" he asked, and Cetanu smiled. "I will show you in due time. For now, let us get back to our friends." he said, and Ashe nodded, still unsure if he made the correct decision.

As they neared the classroom, they ran into Samyaza, the elite Wyvern Rider known as the Demon Lord of Sloth. He looked to Ashe, and then Cetanu, inhaling. "Took you long enough, whelp." he said, and Cetanu laughed, an eerie chipper sound that made the lazy merc sigh and walk away.

Running into Abaddon and Asmodeus, they were, along with their fellow brother Beelzebub, surprised to see the pair. "My Cetanu, I hope that I can find a student that compliments me like he does you." the arrogant man said, the four laughing.

"And I hope I can find someone who can humble you for good." he said, and the group again shared a laugh, something Cetanu was incredibly grateful for. "So you finally did it, huh?" Abaddon asked, and Cetanu nodded.

"How did you know?" he asked, and Abaddon rolled his eyes. "I'm a walking fossil. I knew the entire time." he said, and Cetanu smiled, glad he had a friend like Abaddon. "How'd it feel?" Asmodeus asked, and Cetanu tilted his head before casting a snarky grin at him. "Wouldn't you love to know." he said, and Asmodeus blinked before the trio laughed, the teacher and student continuing on.

Outside their classroom, Lillith waited for them, something on her mind. She looked to Ashe, realizing that the deathly parlor about him, the sweat cascading down his face and the dead stare of someone fated to die were all long gone. She smiled, walking up to the boy and embracing him.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" she said, and Ashe looked to Cetanu, a blush about his features at the attention he was receiving. Cetanu shrugged, chuckling as she exhaled. "I don't care how Cetanu did it, but I'm so glad he did. I couldn't bear seeing someone as adorable as you get thrown in a hole." she said, and Ashe chuckled awkwardly at her attention.

"You're embarrassing the boy, Lil. Give him some space." he said, and she sighed. "I always knew you'd be a stick in the mud when you broke out of your shell." she said, giggling to herself as she walked away, Cetanu shaking his head. "Come on. Let's relax until they get back. I know they went to the infirmary to look for you." he said.

The Lions, deflated at Seteth's blind fury and the disappearance of their classmates, returned to their classroom with a cloud of defeat about their heads. They saw the archway leading to their classroom and each individually sighed and shook their heads, realizing that this year was off to a horrid start.

"If you brats don't cheer up I'll be forced to beat the misery out of you!" they heard, looking up to see Cetanu standing in the archway, arms folded and most shockingly of all, a smile on his face. They all beamed, running up to him like a puppy playing fetch.

"Professor!" they all shouted, their unison broken by their happiness. Cetanu chuckled, gesturing for them to follow him into the classroom. He inhaled, smiling when he realized that he was back in his element, a man of war that could pass on his knowledge to the next generation, even if he was only a few years older.

"I'm glad that you've all done so well in the couple of days I've been gone. I hope you haven't been slacking too much?" he quipped and they all chuckled. Even the cold Felix and stalwart Dedue couldn't help but express their happiness at his return. "Of course, I heard from a little bird that you've all been crying like spoilt children. Isn't that right?" he asked, turning to the blackboard with his arms folded.

They looked to the board before they saw Ashe' poke his head out, giggling and smiling. They all smiled when they saw him from behind the right of the board. He waved to them with his left hand, their happiness dampened when they realized that he was obscuring his other arm.

"Don't start pouting you sad sacks of flour!" he said, laughing when Ashe slowly walked from behind the blackboard before waving to them with his right hand.

They were all shocked, seeing him back in full health like nothing had happened at all. They all stared at his right arm, the boy beginning to blush at the attention. "Stop gawking at his hand. I hope I at least taught you not to stare." he said, and they all turned to him, his gaze telling them to take their seats.

Seteth was incredibly unnerved. Why was the Professor acting so unusually? He started as a slightly combative drone, a man who did as told without a complaint, so much as a sigh. Suddenly, within the span of a week long mission and return cycle, he had become something far different.

"He came to me, you know." Rhea said, breaking Seteth out of his trance. The green haired man turned to the Archbishop, shock evident on his features. "What did he say?" he asked, and Rhea narrowed her eyes.

"He… thanked me. He thanked me for helping him. It was so very odd. He'd never shown much emotion, but this time, he was full of vigor and confidence." she said, and Seteth frowned. "What could have brought on such a change?" he asked, and Rhea frowned ever so slightly.

"I believe it had something to do with that boy, Ashe Ubert. We were told by Manuela that he was deathly, gravely wounded and poisoned beyond salvation. And yet, the boy at his side was awash with life, healthy and without a single scratch on his skin." she said, and Seteth frowned.

"But that's impossible. He had scrapes, bruises and a missing arm. The poison came from the axe that took his arm off. We were told it set in on the trip back and was too much for even Jeralt's best healer and her Crest." he said, and Rhea tightened her intertwined fingers.

"I don't know what kind of magick or science he used, Seteth, but when he came to me with that boy, he had both of his arms."


	12. Mark 5:4

Ashe wasn't one for attention, so when he was cornered and confronted by a number of the Black Eagles, who were intent on squeezing as much information out of him as they could, suffice to say that he was rather uncomfortable.

"We do not wish to trouble you. We only want to know what you learned from your Professor. He's capable of regrowing limbs and curing poisons that even the power of Crests themselves can't. It would be beneficial to all if you shared this information." Edelgard said, and Ashe inhaled.

"With all do respect, Lady Edelgard, I don't feel like that's a question to ask me. I was delirious.. half conscious even. I hardly remember the Professor even being at my bedside." he said, hoping that she'd by his lie.

Even if she did, Ferdinand didn't. The orange haired noble leveled a cross stare at the smaller boy. "You aren't expecting us to believe that someone such as yourself, a ruffian adopted into nobility, would forget such favorable treatment, are you?" he asked, and Ashe tried to remain positive.

He felt a nagging desire to lash out and flee, his eyes scanning the Eagles for a weak spot, his eyes settling on Caspar's throat for a second before he looked past the Adrestian students.

"Is something amiss here?" they heard, the Eagles turning to see a man with a striking emerald eye and a scarred face approach them. "You must be the one our records call the Angel of the Abyss, Abaddon Al Aubin." Hubert said, and the merc nodded.

"Of course. Although I prefer just Abaddon. I am but a humble Knight of Seiros that doubles as a tutor. I might only have one that works, but I promise you that I have the sharpest vision in Fodlan." he said, and Hubert narrowed his eyes.

"Where did you get that scar? Our records always detail you with two eyes." he asked, Ashe slipping away as they shifted their focus. "On a mission. I got careless and was struck by one of our targets. Taught me to never attack without backup." he said, and Hubert chuckled.

"Your Crest is extremely rare. It's a surprise you aren't a member of the nobility." he said, and Abaddon narrowed his good eye. Exactly what was Hubert getting at? He decided to play along, having nothing better to do. "I believe I'm lucky to be honest. Being a noble seems like such a bother."

Ferdinand seemed to take that offensively, and Abaddon realized that he was growing tired of talking to the Adrestian students. "Forgive me, but I have duties to attend to. By the by, I was asked if you had secured those materials, Princess?" he asked, and Edelgard seemed to grow slightly tense, surprised he knew.

"How do you know about that?" she asked, and Abaddon shrugged, turning and beginning to walk away. "Ask Cetanu. He should be at the training grounds as usual." he said, and Edelgard clenched her fist as he vanished from her sight. "He's a problem, Hubert." she said, and Hubert nodded, walking away as if on silent orders.

When the Eagles reached the training grounds, they found Cetanu, seeming incredibly relaxed and almost pleased, training with random students, including Ignatz of the Golden Deer. He turned to them, a brow raised, before beckoning them over. "Join us! We're having quite a good time." he said, and they all seemed hesitant.

Before they could respond, a soldier rushed into the training area before saluting Cetanu. "Professor, Lady Rhea and Sir Seteth would like to speak to you!" he proclaimed, and Cetanu sighed, shaking his head. "Well, I guess it's that time of the month again." he said, and he nodded to dismiss the solider.

He turned to his students. "You are all dismissed. Make sure to keep up on your training. And Ignatz, Ash should be here tonight should you desire to train with him. I think it'd be pretty good for you to have another archer to train with." he said, the boy smiling and nodding happily.

As he walked past the Eagles, he smiled, winking to Edelgard before leaving the training grounds. He was well aware of what Abaddon was up to. His brothers had been a great help in keeping everything under wraps, making Ashe's recovery a miracle from the goddess instead of the work of Cetanu's own hands.

When he entered the Audience Chamber, Cetanu was surprised to find Dimitri already there. The two nodded to each other before Cetanu bowed before Rhea, glad that he still had the same level of self control as before.

"Your mission for this moon is to quell an uprising coming from the Western church. A lesser noble from the Kingdom has openly bared fangs at us of the Central Church. Your mission is to ride at the rear of our vanguard and provide backup, only if needed." Seteth explained.

Cetanu narrowed his eyes before nodding. "I assume that the sections of the church aren't unified, and that this is an attempt at a coup? And what is our job? To clean up corpses and pray with distraught civilians?" he asked, and Seteth frowned at his tone. "Precisely. It is a lesson for you and your students about what befalls those that bear their fangs at the church." he said, and Cetanu smiled.

"Is that why Dimitri is here? So that you can tell him that despite being the Prince of Faerghus that in the grand scheme of thing that he should be subservient to you? You are quite the jester sometimes, Seteth." he said.

He heard a haughty laugh, turning and glancing to see a woman approach. She was taller than him, and was rather striking. Her blue eyes and blonde hair contrasted against her bronze skin, which itself contrasted against her white uniform. Cetanu bowed in respect. "Cetanu Eisner." he said, and she smiled.

"Catherine. I'll be supervising you kids incase something goes awry. Of course, I can't help that Seteth assigned me to this because of my relation to the target." she said with her eyes narrowed. Seteth frowned, as if he was holding himself back.

"Regardless, you are all to depart within three days to Gaspard territory. The Western Church, and Lord Lonato, are to be dealt with however they must be, even if it results in violence." he said, and Cetanu frowned. "Understood."

After leaving, Dimitri looked to Cetanu, worry in his eyes. "Professor, are you familiar with Lord Lonato?" he asked, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. "He's an older fellow, isn't he? I believe I worked for him years back. Why?"

Dimitri seemed hesitant as they traveled the halls to gather their students. "He's Ashe's adoptive father. With everything he's been through, I think it might be best to leave him behind for this one." he said, and Cetanu scowled. Dimitri was afraid of Cetanu turning into that monster he saw at Zanado, something Cetanu picked up on.

"You must relax Dimitri. I will never turn my anger on you unless it benefited the both of us. You are all special to me. Do not fear me." he said, and Dimitri nodded, nervous.

Once the Lions were gathered, Cetanu sat on the edge of his desk and inhaled. "We've been given our next mission." he said, and he scanned their faces. "We are essentially a clean up crew. Seteth wants us to ride at the rear of a Church vanguard and clean up after them." he said, and they all found this odd.

"Why us?" Felix asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "Seteth said it's to try and dissuade any of us, myself included, from ever bearing fangs against the Central Church." he said, and Mercedes found that last part odd. "The Central Church?" she asked, and Cetanu nodded.

"Precisely. You see, the vanguard is being sent to Kingdom territory to snuff out a Western Church rebellion led by Lord Lonato." he said, and Ashe leapt from his seat. "What do you mean!?" he shouted, and Cetanu frowned.

"In the eyes of those above us, Lonato and the western Church are conspiring and openly declaring war against the central church. They supposedly hope to overthrow Rhea and the Central Church, and we're being sent to clean up the aftermath of the consequences they face." he said.

Ashe's knuckles were almost immediately a bright white, and Cetanu could feel his emotions start to take control of him. "We have a woman named Catherine accompanying us. She's a good looking woman with brown skin and golden hair." he said, and they all seemed surprised.

"Thunderbrand Catherine? She wields one of the Hero's Relics. She must be their executioner." Sylvain said, clenching his own fists. Cetanu could tell that this was upsetting to them in some capacity, and he shook his head.

"We have a few days to prepare mentally and physically. Be prepared for anything. Even if we armor ourselves to the teeth, we will likely be targets for anyone from the Western Church or Castle Gaspard." he said, shaking his head. "You are all dismissed. I will be at the training grounds should you need me."

"Abaddon told me that you were trying to corner my student." Cetanu said, the sun setting in the sky as he trained with Edelgard. She was rather skilled, and something about her strength and stamina seemed unnatural, especially for one of her stature. She nodded. "I wanted to know how he was healed." she said, and Cetanu nodded.

"Do you know the details of our mission? That Kostas, the same square headed mercenary from the day we met, inflicted him with a life ending wound, chopping his arm off with a poisoned axe. What else did the report say?" he asked, curious.

"The report, given by your friend Asmodeus, says that you ordered a retreat and than stayed behind by yourself to fight them, as the students were overwhelmed by hordes of not only bandits, but giant monsters as well. There were casualties on both sides, but none of the students were harmed except Ashe." she said, and Cetanu nodded.

"And Seteth got that report and decided that I was going to desert my students or was taken down? He's quite amusing sometimes." he said, a smile across his features. He looked to the sky, seeing the first rays of moonlight start to peer over the horizon. "We found it odd as well, but we knew you'd come back victorious. However, we didn't count on Ashe's survival." she said.

Cetanu chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "I have many skills, and my ability to heal the injured has always been one. Think of it as a miracle, a spell harnessed through my days of aimless wandering back from Zanado. I doubt I could do anything similar again." he said, and she narrowed her eyes, obviously skeptical.

She bowed to Cetanu, ready to depart for the night. Cetanu smiled, nodding to her, watching her leave, her eyes glancing behind a stack of boxes, Cetanu holding back a smile as he himself took his leave.

Bernadetta hated this. Her she was, in the dark of night, alone behind a stack of boxes, told by Edelgard and intimidated by Hubert into spying on a late night training session between Ashe and Ignatz, the other two archers seeming to get along rather well.

"Bernie could be sleeping right now, but Edelgard had to be so mean!" she pouted, shaking her head and puffing her cheeks as she watched the two. They sparred like a pair of friends, but even Bernadetta could tell that Ashe was holding back. When the two agreed to spar bare handed, Ignatz insisted that Ashe not hold back.

Of course, Bernadetta herself was curious as to how he grew an arm back. It was like he was a starfish, or some kind of plant. She found it very weird, and hated that of all people, she was chosen to spy on the two and try to find out something. She watched Ashe dominate the match, realizing that despite Ignatz's slight size advantage, that Ashe had an immense amount of training.

Ignatz yelped, yielding to Ashe before a spinning foot shattered his glasses amongst other things. She saw that the two simply began to talk, leaning in to hear more.

"Thanks for helping me out, Ashe. I see I still have a lot of work to do." he said, and Ashe chuckled, a light sound that was pleasant to hear. "It's no problem. I'm glad the Professor suggested that we train together. There aren't a lot of archers to practice with. Especially ones as kind as you." he said, and Bernadetta blinked. Was he.. flirting with the other archer?

Ignatz must've thought the same thing, because he began to blush and chuckle. "Aw, shucks. It's nothing really. I just treat others the way I'd want to be treated is all." he said, laughing nervously and closing his eyes. Bernadetta began to blush herself, watching Ashe close in while Ignatz wasn't looking.

"Oh my god, oh my god!" she squealed quietly, watching Ignatz open his eyes to find Ashe almost touching noses with him. "A-Ashe?" he asked, and the gray haired boy smiled, his eyes casting a glazed over look that was oddly, oddly compelling. "Don't say anything." he said, and Bernadetta felt like she was going to faint when Ashe moved closer.

And suddenly, her feeling of embarrassment turned into one of shock and confusion, because instead of doing what she thought he would and kissing Ignatz, Ashe grabbed him by the back of the head and pulled his hair, slamming his teeth into the tender flesh of Ignatz's throat.

It was like a horror story come to life. She watched Ignatz struggle, silently pleading with Ashe for moments before he simply began to slip out of consciousness. Bernadetta held her hands over her mouth, suppressing a scream. She had to flee, she had to get back to her room.

She saw Ashe release his grip on Ignatz, the boy falling to the ground with holes in his neck, the gray haired boy looking to the sky, his face visible to her.

Even though his canines were elongated, and there was blood covering his tongue and teeth, Ashe was eerily beautiful to Bernadetta. Be it his shinning eyes, freckled skin, or the tormented tears that ran down his cheeks. She was ever so hesitant to move, somehow hypnotized by Ashe.

"You mustn't shed tears. He will be completely unharmed." Bernadetta heard, controlling herself once again when she saw Cetanu walk over, placing his hand on Ignatz's forehead. "But, what if he becomes..." he trailed off, and Cetanu shook his head.

"That is an entirely different process that I will teach you when you are ready. I just erased his memories of everything after you stopped training and replaced them with something else. It's fine." he said.

Ashe sighed as he stood, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "What do we do now?" he asked, and Cetanu hummed. "Well, you will take Ignatz back to his room. I have something else to deal with." he said, and Bernadetta's heart skipped a beat.

This was it, wasn't it? The blood sucking monster's master, an even larger, scarier, more powerful and imposing monster, was coming for her. She closed her eyes, hands over her mouth as she heard their footsteps pass by her. She peeked out and saw Ashe leave, hearing Cetanu sigh.

"He's got a long way to go." she heard, closing her eyes again and hearing his footsteps move pass her location again. She waited until his footsteps had vanished in the same direction of Ashe's, continuing to hold her breath.

This was the worst night of her life. Now, if she was discovered, she'd have two monsters after her flesh, her soul. They'd tear her apart and laugh over her disemboweled corpse. Or they'd turn her into a mindless thrall, or make her one of them.

"What the fuck was that!?" Sothis screamed in Cetanu's head, and he sighed. "He was feeding. The boy was unharmed and Ashe learned about what he'd have to do now that he's not human anymore." he said, and Sothis frowned. "Not human?" she asked, and Cetanu rolled his eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? I knew there was a reason that I was so disgustingly obsessed with that literature. I understand that I am, somehow someway, a Blood Demon, specifically one of these Fleshcrafters that descend from The Fiend." he said, and Sothis seemed a little hesitant. "Say that is true. Doesn't that make you a target?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"Not in the slightest. No one is aware bar a few people, and I'm not doing anything wrong. I am a man of the Faith, serving the Church by teaching it's students." he said, and Sothis could tell he was being sarcastic. "You better not do anything stupid." she said, and Cetanu stopped and hummed. He smiled, a devilish look that sent a chill down Sothis' spine.

Bernadetta laid in her bed, terrified and incapable of sleep. She hadn't been this scared in a very long time, and she hated it. She could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks, and her fear was only magnified when something came knocking on her door.

"Wh-who is it?" she managed to squeak out, terrified of who it could be. Was it Hubert, searching for a report, or was it Ashe, ready to make her his next victim? "It's me. I can sense how upset you are." she heard, her whole body locking up at the sound of Cetanu's voice.

"C-come in." she said, and Cetanu opened her door, slowly. When he greeted her, he bowed and smiled, kind and respectful. He took a seat at her desk, inhaling and sighing.

"Do you want me to explain?" he asked, and she continued to quiver. "I will, as long as you lie to Hubert and Edelgard." he said, and she nodded ever so slowly, her eyes locked firmly on the monster in her room.

"You see, what I did to save Ashe, was to.. change him. One of the books I'd read about 'Blood Demons' says that they have the ability to change people with a process normally called the 'Embrace' or the 'Forsakening'. It's quite a simple process, but I'll keep that to myself at least."

"Y-y-y-ou mean you're a-a-.." she trailed off, terrified. Cetanu smiled, his posture relaxed and inviting. "A Blood Demon, yes. But I promise you that I have no desire to hurt any of you. Neither does Ashe." he said, and she slowly relaxed.

"Then what was that?" she asked, and Cetanu sighed. "One of the common techniques we have, this is something my friend Abaddon knows from experience, is hypnosis. We aren't human, so we have an odd presence about us, and with a little work… we become irresistible to most people." he said.

And despite how vile he sounded, and how evil he was, his silky tone and sly smile had Bernadetta completely relaxed. "And our primary form of sustenance is human blood, because it's rich in Iron and magickal energies. Our fangs are hollow, and we release a magickal energy that relaxes you." he explained, inching ever closer.

"It makes the experiences pleasurable even. That's why you saw Ignatz give in. He wasn't drained of his life force forcibly as he struggled, he submitted to the magickal dominance that Ashe had." he explained, and Bernadetta swore she saw his tongue pass along his own fangs.

"But you altered his memories! No one can do that!" she said, and he chuckled. "Blood Demons like me can manipulate flesh. All I did was shift brain matter around and magickally impose a false reality. I'm sure Hubert can do the same." he said, and she felt odd.

"Of course, we have other powers as well. I'd show them to you, but I'm not sure I can trust you. It's a shame. I'd had hoped that Edelgard would have Petra or Caspar spy on us. They'd at least put up a fight." he said, and her fear came back for a split second before her mind went blank.


	13. Revelations 19:19

On the way towards Gaspard territory, Cetanu made sure to keep a close eye on Ashe. He had no experience with Blood Demons personally, and had no way of keeping a leash on Ashe should he run rampant. He tried to get as much as he could out of Abaddon, but the sniper didn't have much to say either.

What Cetanu was doing, caring for and essentially raising a Blood Demon, was far different from anything Jeralt's Mercenaries had experience with, which was simply hunting them like animals and killing them, normally by decapitation or fire. Cetanu almost questioned whether or not saving the boy was the right thing to do.

"What is with you? You normally aren't such a doubtful mess." Sothis said, Cetanu rolling his eyes at the girl. "Must have something to do with the Adrestian girl I drank from. Ever since I drank her blood I've been rather paranoid." he said, and Sothis hummed.

"Did you turn her into a monster as well, or was she not good enough to meet your high standards?" She asked, and Cetanu could hear the emotion in her voice. She was both upset, disturbed at Cetanu's actions, and snarky, trying to poke fun at his selection of 'offspring'.

"She has a Crest. I have no idea how a Crest besides my own will react to the change. This is why I haven't turned anyone else. My Crest is something that meshes with my Fleshcrafter identity." he began, humming as they entered a rather foggy area.

"Abaddon told me about certain kinds of Blood Demons having different Crests, so I'm not sure if the divinely granted Holy Blood of a Crest would co-exist in an inhuman host." he said, and Sothis hummed.

"What about you? What happened after you ingested the blood of someone with a Crest?" she asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "No idea. Bernadetta has a Crest of Indech, which is associated with water. I'll try a few things here and there, but it seems like nothing changes." he said.

One thing Cetanu noticed as Sothis sighed and went quiet, was that his senses were enhanced. He could see through the fog to an extent, and he could hear everything from the hooves of their horses to everyone's breathing patterns. This was when he frowned, realizing that there were more breathing patterns than he expected.

He hopped off of his horse as soon as Catherine's voice came booming through the fog. "The enemy slipped through the fog! Prepare for battle!" she boomed, and Cetanu inhaled, surveying his surroundings.

"Blue Lions! Gather together and listen for the sound of my voice! Maintain a defensive formation!" he shouted, hearing footsteps move in his direction. They were heavy, and they clinked, meaning that they weren't those of his students.

A war cry hit his ears as a soldier, a faceless man in a suit of armor, charged him, an axe held high. Cetanu noticed that none of his students were around, but they were closing in. This was a perfect chance for him to test more of his magick.

Cetanu stepped to the side, avoiding the wild axe's swing before hooking his fingers underneath the man's arm, where there was no armor for mobility purposes. Using his sheer will and magick, Cetanu imagined his body changing.

The man, confused at the feeling of just a few fingers against his chest, didn't have much of a chance to react. He fell limply, ashen spikes made from his own ribs tearing his insides asunder and piercing his armor. Cetanu looked at the fallen body, sighing. It was sloppy, but it worked.

He turned as his students reached him, the nine of them moving forward, Cetanu listening and watching for any enemies. "There are quite a few of them. They used the fog as cover to slip passed our main forces. Be prepared to act on my command." he said, and they all nodded.

"This isn't right. Why would Lonato do something like this?" Ashe asked, seeming rather bothered by the whole scenario. Cetanu shrugged, resisting the urge to frown. "Perhaps someone is using him. we'll find out soon enough." he said, his ears picking something up.

"Sylvain, to your rear!" he called, and the red haired nobleman spun and jabbed out his lance, catching a man in the shoulder. He dropped his sword, and Cetanu noted that these were Gaspard soldiers, a familiar house banner on their breastplates.

Felix moved forward, swiftly taking the man's head off as Sylvain pulled back. Ashe grit his teeth, and Cetanu could see his fangs starting to grow in length. He was reaching his limit, and it was only a matter of time before he snapped.

Cetanu didn't have the privilege of thinking on it more. "Dedue, to your left!" he called, the largest member of his class swinging his axe with intense force, a severed hand flying through the fog.

Annette launched a fireball in the direction of the severed limb, and a flailing body convulsed in the fog before thudding limply to the ground. Cetanu wasn't pleased with the current situation.

"Dimitri, straight ahead!" he called, the Prince steeling himself before thrusting his lance forward, a rogue wearing but woolen clothes being run through. Dimitri hesitated, as he realized something.

This wasn't an opposing soldier. He wasn't some armored nobody in service of his Lord, or some vile bandit looking to plunder and raid a village. This was a civilian, someone that took up arms in the name of a cause they believed in. This shook him to his core as he pulled his lance, his ears deaf to Cetanu's call.

Cetanu moved, grabbing another rogue by the skull and slamming him to the ground, rising up and stomping his skull into the ground as he grabbed Dimitri by the collar.

"Snap out of it! Civilians are going to die by your hand or command for your entire life! This pointless bloodshed will go on for eternity unless you do something about it!" he shouted, shoving the prince to catch a rogue's arm.

Cetanu pulled him forward, slamming his skull into the other man, catching him by the collar and repeating the action as he fell to the ground. He barked out orders in quick succession, realizing that a band of rogues, civilians goaded into action by someone else, was upon them.

All the while, Dimitri remained frozen at the center of their circle, shaken by both his own actions and Cetanu's words. The ebon mercenary could see this, and realized that he had to protect Dimitri while he processed this information. He was a future king after all. He needed time to decide what kind of king he was going to be.

"Remain in formation, leave none alive!" he called, watching as his students moved with almost fearful vigor, lashing out at anything that moved in the fog. Cetanu realized how much of a problem this fog was, and he inhaled. He told Sothis he was going to try a few things, and this was one of them.

Cetanu bit his own arm, using his magick to draw the blood from his veins and casting it out in the shape of the Crest of Indech, the bloody symbol drawing all of the moisture in the air to itself before evaporating, the fog cast out by Cetanu's spell.

When Cetanu looked forward, he saw Lord Lonato, an older man upon an armored horse, flanked by a large number of soldiers. He also saw Catherine, her unusual spiked blade glowing like a flame, cutting men down without a second thought.

"Thunderstrike Cassandra! I'm going to take your life for what you did!" he shouted, and Cetanu frowned. He turned to Dimitri, who had started to break out his trance. "When we get back to the Monastery, you are to meet me in the Dining Hall. I'll have Dedue tend to your things." he said, and Dimitri frowned, slightly nervous as he nodded.

"What do we do? Those soldiers are well trained and armored. They outnumber us pretty bad too." Sylvain said, and Cetanu looked to him, a smile on his face. "We attack head on. Watch Lonato himself, but everyone else that lifts a weapon at you goes down." he declared, and Sylvain sighed. He really wished there were a couple of female soldiers he could spend time with.

Lonato noticed the small group moving forward. They moved with purpose, and they bore the uniforms of Garreg Mach Monastery. "You brought children to this battle? Your depravity knows no bounds!" Lonato shouted, and Catherine scoffed as she continued cutting down anyone that crossed her path.

Cetanu used his armored forearm and blocked a sword. He placed his fingers against the abdomen of his opponent and struck, using the same attack he defeated Edelgard with. The man crumpled to the ground, and Cetanu inhaled. Dimitri was back in form, clashing blades with another one of the soldiers.

Ashe moved quicker than any of his classmates. Using his acrobatic body to leap over soldiers and launch arrows at the back of their necks with hawk eyed precision. He soon came upon Lonato and his elite guard, men who he was familiar with even with their faces obscured by helmets.

"Lonato! Why are you doing this!?" he called, and the elderly man sighed. He dismounted from his horse, his axe in hand. "Stay out of this Ashe. That witch Rhea has deceived Fodlan for far too long." he said, and Ashe seemed deflated.

Ashe readied and arrow, aiming it firmly at Lonato. "Can't you talk it out peacefully!? I don't want to see our people die for nothing!" he called, and Lonato sighed. "If that is how you feel, than I suppose I'll have to test your conviction!" he called, the elite quartet charging Ashe, his arrows bouncing off their armor.

Suddenly, one of the men was struck in the abdomen, Cetanu throwing a stiff straight right, holding his arm at the elbow to maintain momentum, a burst of magickal energy sending the man's battered body flying back. "I'll handle them! Take care of Lonato!" he shouted, and Ashe saw the heavy canines and slit pupils of his teacher, not wasting a second.

Ashe used Cetanu as stepping stone, jumping off of his shoulders to reach Lonato. He cast his bow aside, realizing that he'd be relying on his own strength. Lonato frowned, readying his axe as Ashe charged him.

Ashe leapt to the side, seeing the shining axe of his father hit the ground. He threw a stiff kick, breaking the shaft of the axe and sending the pieces clattering off into the distance. Lonato saw this coming and moved back, throwing a stiff boot that struck Ashe in the shoulder.

Ashe tumbled back and panted, seeing a look of anger on his father's face. "After everything I do for you and your siblings, this is how you repay me!?" he boomed, and Ashe closed his eyes. He grit his teeth, hating that it had to come to this.

"I don't want to see you bring an army down on my friends simply because you dislike the Archbishop! It's not right, and you know that!" he called. Lonato sighed, balling his fists and raising them up to his face before running forward.

Ashe had a speed and mobility advantage, but sorely lacked in both offense and defense. Lonato was much larger, much heavier, and donning a suit of armor. The young warrior was confused, wondering how he was supposed to outmatch his adoptive father, who was like a living siege engine.

Lonato threw a right cross. Ashe weaved to his own right, grabbing Lonato's arm and turning. He tried to throw Lonato, but he lacked the strength, and was caught in a choke hold. "You are too young to understand, Ashe." Lonato said.

Ashe struggled, feeling the cold metal of Lonato's armor against his throat as he struggled, kicking and scratching. "Sometimes, a man must put his life, the life of his men, and even the life of his people, on the line for something he believes in. I believe that Fodlan is crumbling under the weight of Rhea's vile, heretical reign. And the people of Gaspard and the Western Church will give their lives to see Rhea fall." he said.

Ashe didn't understand. Why were these innocent people dying? What did Rhea do to them? He lived his entire life under the reign of the Central Church, and he was happy. He had friends, family, everything he could want. And it was all crumbling under a simple disagreement.

He hated it, and he wanted it all to change. He wished everyone could get along, but, as it was his own adoptive father, the man who took him off the street, taught him how to read and write, choking the life out of him, he realized that that wasn't going to happen.

Resigning to this sad fact, Ashe threw a left elbow into Lonato's face, breaking the choke hold as he fell to the ground and rolled. He was on all fours, coughing and wheezing. "I don't want to do this, Ashe. Please stand down."

Ashe dragged his fingers through the dirt, balling them into fists as he cast a glare at Lonato. "I've had to kill people I was supposed to rule as an adult! I've had to fight the same soldiers that protected me and taught me how to wield a bow as a child! I don't want to do this either!" he screamed, and Lonato seemed surprised.

"Those teeth… those eyes… what happened to you?" he said, and Ashe realized that he must be wearing the symbols of his change plainly. "I decided to do whatever it took to fight for the people I care about!" he said, running forward and taking advantage of Lonato's surprise.

Ashe jumped, twisting his body in midair to shift his momentum into his right fist, punching Lonato and knocking him to the ground. Lonato scrambled to his feet, but Ashe had already charged him, throwing a flurry of punches, releasing a terrible war cry, his emotions taking hold of him.

As Lonato stumbled with the blows, dents being punched into his armor, he realized that perhaps he was wrong. He spat blood that splashed Ashe in the face. And yet, it looked right. He realized that while he was obsessed with Rhea's downfall, he had forgotten the child he took in.

Because the same small, adorable ruffian he caught trying to steal from his manor was now a young warrior, turned into a monster and raining down punishment on him. He fell to the ground. "Stay down, please!" Ashe called, and Lonato coughed again.

Cetanu stood watching, instructing the rest of his students to stall Catherine and keep her away from Lonato. They agreed, understanding that this was something that Ashe had to do. He watched Lonato struggle to his feet, coughing blood and wheezing. Cetanu closed his eyes, realizing what was coming next.

"If I surrender, they will execute me anyway. I've made peace with the Goddess." he said, and Ashe closed his eyes, tears pouring down his cheeks as he ran forward. He hopped into the air, shifting and throwing a stiff left kick at Lonato's face.

Ashe's boot caught Lonato under the chin, spraying blood as Lonato's large, armored body flipped from the force. Ashe landed on his back, staying there and sobbing as Lonato's body landed face first in the dirt, bleeding and lifeless. Cetanu sighed, realizing that more than anything, Ashe needed a friend.

Picking Ashe off the ground, the boy sobbed miserably into his chest. "Why!?" he cried, and Cetanu closed his eyes. For once, he didn't know. "We'll find out. And we'll punish those responsible. I promise." he said, and Ashe continued to sob. Cetanu carried him like a small child, Ashe crying into the nape of his neck, his emotions overwhelming him.

When the Lions regrouped, the one with the most to say was Catherine. "Care to explain to me why your students were trying to prevent me from getting to the target?" she asked, almost coming nose to nose with Cetanu. The ebon mercenary merely smiled.

"I remember you now. You're Cassandra from House Charon. That tomboy that drove my father up a wall during negotiations those years ago." he said, and she blinked, completely thrown. "Your father?" she asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Captain Jeralt Eisner. Surely you remember him." he said, and she blinked.

"You're that blue haired kid that stood in the corner with that weirdo with the one eye." she said, and he nodded. "It's good to see you again. Although, I assume you prefer to go by Catherine, right?" he asked, a snarky smile on his face. His students, besides Ashe, were rather surprised watching the interaction.

"I'm not the same little girl I was back then. You better watch yourself around me." she said, and Cetanu only smiled. "Are you sure? Only thing different to me is that you're taller than me now. Which isn't a problem." he said, and she blinked, as if confused by his remark. She exhaled. "Whatever. Let's get back." she said, storming off.

Cetanu looked to his students, who he noticed were making a habit of being in stunned silence. "Were you just.. flirting with her?" Sylvain asked. Cetanu shrugged. "Perhaps. She's strong, but that's about it." he said, looking to Ashe.

The boy was still silent, his freckled cheeks stained with tears. Cetanu knew that he'd need someone to spend time with, someone that had more empathy than himself. It was hard for Cetanu to empathize with a lost family member, as he had never lost one, except his Mother.

The trip back was silent, save for a conversation Cetanu had with Catherine. She spoke of a plot to assassinate Rhea, something that he knew he'd be forced to deal with. He'd be dragged into a meeting, where Seteth would scream and holler about the dire situation, only for little to nothing to happen. Cetanu hated it, and made a mental note to drown out Seteth's drivel.

"How are you feeling?" he asked Ashe the next morning as they grew closer to Garreg Mach. The boy didn't sleep very much, and he knew that he couldn't blame him. "I… I don't know. He wasn't really my father, but it still hurt when he died. Even more because..." he trailed off, not wanting to speak his actions into being.

"You did what you had to. He was ready to kill everyone in his path, and sacrifice his own people to take Rhea down. Imagine how much worse it would've been if this didn't happen." he explained, trying to make Ashe feel better.

"He would have dragged an army, including manipulated townsfolk, to the doors of the Monastery, and then he would have tried to strike all of us down to get to Rhea. Imagine having to watch Seteth strike down the people of Gaspard, or the people of Gaspard turning their blades on even harmless people like Bernadetta or Ignatz." he said.

Ashe sighed. "I know what I did was probably the right thing to do. But.. it was something else. When he saw.. what I was, he looked… disgusted. He was going easy on me, but there was nothing but hate in his eyes when he figured out I wasn't… normal." he said, and Cetanu sighed.

"That is something that you will have to deal with. You understood this when you agreed to allow me to Embrace you. However, if you worry about the rejection, than I suppose I have no choice." he said, and Ashe blinked, looking to him.

"Once this debacle with the 'assassination attempt' is over, we will tell the others about us. I will tell Hanneman and Manuela first, and allow anyone unable to deal with it the chance to change classes to escape us." he said.

Ashe sighed. "I guess so. I just hope everyone is okay with it." he said, and Cetanu chuckled. "It will be fine. We've been through too much for pointy teeth to drive them off." he quipped, and Ashe chuckled in amusement.


	14. John 1:5

When they returned to Garreg Mach, Cetanu ordered many of his students to return to their rooms, rest, eat, sleep or whatever they needed. Many of them wanted to head to the bath house, wash all of the sweat, dirt and dried blood from their forms.

Dimitri was given no such respite, immediately following Cetanu towards the Dining Hall. The Prince wasn't used to this. He felt like he was being scolded by his father, something that he didn't really enjoy.

When they reached the Dining Hall, Dimitri noticed one thing. Some of Cetanu's allies from his mercenary days were there, and they noticed Cetanu immediately. Dimitri took his seat, which was next to them. They unnerved him, and he couldn't tell why.

"You really must've gotten on his nerves if he brought you here alone right after returning." Asmodeus said, scooting uncomfortably close to Dimitri. He chuckled, a nervous sound that Abaddon noticed.

"Back off of him Harlot. I doubt you still got what it takes to seduce anyone." he said, and Asmodeus pouted, sighing. "You're such a stick in the mud, Don. A guy can dream about seducing a king, can't he?" he said, and Cetanu sat across from Dimitri, placing a plate of food in front of him. "Eat." he said, and Dimitri nodded thankfully.

"Why did you hesitate?" he asked, and Dimitri once again, hesitated. "Because… I could tell that man was a civilian." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "You understood that since he was a civilian in Kingdom territory, that you essentially just killed one of your numerous subjects." he said, and Dimitri nodded.

"So what?" Abaddon asked, and Dimitri looked to him. "So what? What kind of monster kills his own subjects!?" he said, his fists balled on either side of his plate. "Every kind." Asmodeus said. Dimitri looked to him.

"One Eye and the Harlot are right, Prince. Any leader that goes to war is technically signing away the lives of his civilians and soldiers. Anyone that picks up a blade in your service is willing to die." Samyaza said, and Dimitri grit his teeth.

"It's not that simple. I don't want anyone to die." he said, and the three mercenaries looked between each other. Cetanu sighed. "Then fight. Putting yourself at risk like that, making us surround you and protect you, is not how a King that strives for peace should act. You know this, Dimitri. If you desire worldwide peace, then you must be willing to act." he said.

Dimitri sighed, looking down at his half eaten plate. "I don't know if I have what it takes." he said, and Cetanu closed his eyes. There had to be something that he could do to get through to Dimitri. "Finish eating. There's something I must show you, whether I want to or not."

After they left the Dining Hall, the duo headed towards the bath house. When they reached the sauna, Cetanu tossed a towel to Dimitri and gestured for him to follow. When they entered the sauna, they saw Ashe sitting in the insane heat, sweat pouring from his body.

Dimitri was self conscious, realizing that the three of them were garbed in naught but towels. However, he noticed something. Ashe had a large bruise on his one shoulder, and his neck was heavily bruised, his breathing labored. His hands were also heavily bruised, and slightly swollen.

Ashe looked to Cetanu, who merely nodded and folded his arms. "Your flesh only has scrapes and bruises from training. The wounds you see on Ashe come from his fight with Lonato." he said, and Dimitri looked to Ashe.

"Ashe wishes for peace as well. However, unlike you, he did not hesitate. He struck his adoptive father down with his own hand, and now he has to live with it." he said, and Dimitri looked to Ashe again.

"Ashe, I.. I'm sorry." he said, and Ashe smiled. "I'm alright. The Professor is right. I did what I had to. Even if it hurt in more ways than one." he said, reaching down and rubbing his swollen left ankle. Dimitri looked to Cetanu, realizing that while Ashe was banged up, his skin was flawless next to Cetanu.

Gashes and scars ran all along Cetanu's body, covering his arms, shoulders, chest, abdomen and legs. There were even scars along his feet, his head being the only unscathed part of his body. "What happened to you?" he asked, and Cetanu looked to him.

"All of my scars come from battle after battle. You must understand something, Dimitri. You are to be a King. A King must be willing to act, to put himself on the line for his people and their happiness. If I, a feared monster, can do this to my own body for no one but myself, what would you be willing to do for others?" he asked, and as the sweat poured down his brow, Dimitri understood.

Cetanu was trying to get him to realize that he would have to endure many hardships if he wanted to make his peaceful world a reality. That he would have to turn his blade on any who opposed peace, even if they were his own.

"You must be willing to be kind, that is true, but you must also be willing to have force. If Ashe can kick the life out of his father, you must be able to at least kill a traitorous subject." he said, and Dimitri sighed. Cetanu was right, and he hated to admit it.

"There is something else I must show you. Ashe." he said, and Ashe nodded, the trio departing from the sauna, heading for Cetanu's room, a place that Dimitri knew held nothing of import.

Sitting in the lone chair in Cetanu's room, Dimitri wondered what was going on. "There is one other thing we must show you. As the Leader of the House, you are entitled to know everything." he said, looking to Ashe, who nodded as he closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes, Dimitri felt himself gasp. Ashe's eyes were still the same color, but their pupils were slits, making him look more like a cat, or a snake. Ashe sighed. "I wasn't expecting to tell you right away, but I guess the Professor isn't very patient." he said, chuckling.

Dimitri noticed that Ashe's canine teeth were rather long, and rather pointy. He looked to Cetanu, realizing that his normally dead eyes were the same, and he sighed. "You know that I had books about Demons and Demonic Beasts in my room when you broke in, right?" he asked, and Dimitri nodded.

"Those were because of a hunch I had. A hunch that I realized was correct at Zanado." he said, and Dimitri nodded, remembering the enraged outburst Cetanu had. "To put it bluntly, I am a Blood Demon, and that outburst was me remembering that fact." he said.

Dimitri was suddenly very nervous. If Cetanu was telling the truth, than he was sitting, unarmed, in a room with two monsters. Ashe seemed to notice this, and offered him a kind smile. "You don't have to be afraid. We can control ourselves you know." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

"So, you saved Ashe by.. turning him into a Demon?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "If Lillith can't heal something magickally, than it can't be healed. However, with my current abilities, I could."

"He explained it rather plainly. By changing me into what he is, my poisoned blood would be purified, and since he's a kind of Demon called a 'Fleshcrafter', he just made me a new arm." he said, and Dimitri blinked.

"Made a new arm?" he said, in utter disbelief. Cetanu nodded. "While my understanding and execution are both lackluster, I seem to be able to will the human form to mold to how I desire. It was very exhausting and slow, but I piece by piece crafted a new arm by simply willing his stump to take shape." he said.

"And Ashe willingly let you turn him into something inhuman?" he asked, and Ashe nodded. "I decided that it was my only choice. I wanted to keep everyone safe, you know? It's hard to do that if you're dead." he said with a chuckle. Cetanu nodded. "I have to get to Seteth and give my half of the report. Do keep this to yourself Dimitri, we'll tell everyone when the time is right.

Left alone, Dimitri simply stared at Ashe. He was shocked, to say the least. "Are you alright?" Ashe asked, and Dimitri nodded. "It's just… a lot to take in is all." he said, and Ashe nodded.

"The Professor said he'd wait so that he could give you a chance to transfer to a different class, but I guess he felt like you needed to know." he said, and Dimitri nodded, slowly.

"So, you two drink blood? How are you coping with that?" he asked, and Ashe shrugged. "I've only done it once or twice, and the first time I drank from the Professor. It… feels good, like eating your favorite food, but seeing that what you're 'eating' is the unconscious person in your arms is… difficult." he said, and Dimitri nodded, understanding.

"How often do you… feed?" he asked, and Ashe shrugged. "Since getting better, I've only done it twice. I guess I get hungry like everyone else, but the Professor has been making sure I stay in line." he said, chuckling.

Dimitri was rather relaxed talking to Ashe, and he was glad that he was able to have the time to speak to Cetanu and his friends alone. He learned a lot, and understood many perspectives from people that weren't nobility. He understood that he couldn't be hesitant if he wanted to achieve anything.

Talking to Ashe helped him confirm this. If one of his classmates was willing to forfeit his humanity to strive on, than Dimitri could at the least remain composed in battle. He grew incredibly relaxed. So very relaxed. And as Dimitri grew more relaxed, Ashe slowly began to feel hungrier.

When Cetanu reached the Audience Chamber, Catherine was already giving Rhea and Seteth her portion of the report. Rhea greeted him with a smile and a nod, and he bowed to her respectfully, as he always did. "It's good to see you in such good spirits, Professor." she said.

Cetanu smiled to her, nodding. "The mission was a resounding success. I wish a few things could have been different, but none of my students were harmed in the fighting." he said. Seteth turned to him with folded arms, his normal scowl on his face.

"Catherine tells us that you prevented her from confronting Lord Lonato by using your students as a diversion." he said, and Cetanu looked to Catherine, winking at her before looking back to Seteth. "That is correct. For the purpose of Ashe's growth, and the purpose of information extraction, I had Ashe fight Lonato personally." he said.

Seteth remained composed, but was visibly agitated by Cetanu's nonchalance. "What were you able to learn?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "Nothing of import. Lonato and the Western Church, who I'm sure you're replacing with submissive replacements, were convinced that Lady Rhea was a villain who needed to be struck down." he said, humming.

"Of course, I'm sure that even if they were to storm the Monastery as we speak, they'd be rather unsuccessful. After all, I am here." he said, smiling arrogantly as he looked to Seteth. The one who took this the worst however, was Catherine.

She grabbed him by his collar, a scowl on her face as well. "I don't know what your deal is, but you need to take this seriously. Someone is trying to kill Lady Rhea, and all you can do is crack jokes." she said, and Cetanu smiled. "You need to relax, Catherine. We need to work together to prevent disaster, not get physical with each other."

She glared at him, releasing his collar, Cetanu looking to Rhea and Seteth, slightly more serious than before. "What would you have us do? My students are currently resting after the previous mission, but I can have them ready for battle within a day." he said.

Seteth nodded, skeptical of Cetanu's compliance. "We'll take it day by day. Just have everyone keep an eye and ear out for anything suspicious. Unusual merchants, visiting family, even passerby and each other. Remain suspicious but do not take action without express permission." he said.

Cetanu bowed, nodding. "Understood. I trust that Lady Catherine's half of the report will suffice?" he mused, and Rhea nodded. "We were told that you and Ashe defeated Lonato and his elite guard, and that the Blue Lion housed worked rather well as a unit. I'm glad you're getting such results out of them." she said. Cetanu smiled, bowing once more before taking his leave.

Passing the infirmary, Cetanu noticed a nurse patching up a small wound on his Father's bicep. "Getting sloppy?" he asked, and Jeralt looked to him and chuckled. "I guess so. When you were just a little runt, this would have never happened to me." he said, and he sighed.

Looking to Cetanu, he frowned. The ebon mercenary could feel footsteps approaching from behind, his enhanced senses allowing him to tell that it was Manuela's heels clicking against the floor. "Abaddon told me what happened in Zanado." he said.

"What exactly did he tell you?" Cetanu asked, realizing that this was the first time he'd talked to his father in a while. "He told me that you figured it out. I knew this place was going to do something to you, but I never expected this." he said, and Cetanu hummed.

He was fully aware that Manuela was within earshot, but he didn't care. He was planning on telling her anyway. "Did he tell you that there's another Blood Demon in Garreg Mach?" he asked, and Jeralt frowned at his son. "You figured out how to make more?"

"That I did. I'm continuing my research with materials I received from the Imperial Princess, learning more about the intricacies of Blood Demons. There's very, very little on our 'species', but I noticed that my… progeny, was able to focus and rest better on his homeland. Which I assume is why I carry this." he said, referring to the blue dagger on his waist.

Jeralt sighed. "Yeah, your Mother told me that it'd be better if you had something from where you were born. She said it was a sentimental thing, but I figured there was something else to it." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "Where was I born, exactly?" he asked, and Jeralt narrowed his eyes.

"I'll tell you some other time, Kid. For now, explain to me how you managed to make more of you." he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. His father was withholding information about the circumstances, and location, of his birth, but he assumed that he'd be told when the time was right.

"The exact process takes a while. I'm glad the infirmary staff take time off in the wee hours, because I'd need at least an hour unless I perfect the process, which I don't plan on." he said, and Jeralt nodded, following his son so far.

"You see, it's incredibly simple. All I have to do, is drain the blood of the one I desire, leaving their body an empty, lifeless husk. I then feed them my own blood, fueled by my magick, and it revives them as a Blood Demon. Of course, I assume it isn't immune to failure." he said.

"One thing I do know, Father, is that when he came back, he was incredibly hungry. He latched onto me like a hungry wolf and nearly drained me. Although, while my blood was being drained like a pus filled growth, I was able to repair his missing arm." he said.

Jeralt sighed, shaking his head. "Your Mother said that you'd be better at using her magick than she was. Just… be careful, alright? I don't want you or whatever poor sap you turned getting hurt or anything." he said.

Cetanu smiled, a genuine act that surprised his father, who was thrilled to finally see his son express himself. Cetanu bowed. "You have my word that me and my students shall remain safe." he said, departing the infirmary, winking at Manuela on his way out.


	15. Daniel 4:14

Weeks later, Cetanu had found Seteth's paranoia rather justified. Within thee two weeks since the assignment, a small group of Western Church supporters had been caught and imprisoned. As he took part in one of the imprisonments himself, since the girl captured was some young harlot trying to seduce Sylvain, he was aware of where they were.

This led Cetanu to one grisly, horrifying conclusion. With enemies of his allies all locked in a small, hidden location together, he now had a herd of cattle, in essence. He could command the guards to leave him be while he experimented and fed on them to his heart's desire.

"You're a monster, you know that?" Sothis said in his mind as he walked the halls of Garreg Mach. He made for his classroom, as he received an update on the assignment he was to receive.

"In what way?" he asked. He always found Sothis' commentary on his actions rather amusing, as he wondered whether or not she was a sort of split personality he had or not. "Just because you have emotions doesn't make you anymore human." she said, folding her arms from her stone throne on high.

"Whether you admit it or not, you desire a sense of humanity at the least. And what I'm telling you is that humans, normal people with a sense of right and wrong, wouldn't view prisoners as food and toys." she scolded, rather motherly in her attitude.

"Imagine what your students would think if they saw you feasting on terrified humans, or experimenting on them for your sick magick." she said, and Cetanu frowned. He hated to admit it, but she was right. There was a part of Cetanu that did desire that same innocent normality many of the students had. He sighed.

As he approached his classroom, he realized that Sothis had a glaring point. "Unfortunately, Sothis, I'm not human. I've grown accustomed to having emotions and expanding my horizons, but I'm not ever going to have that same care and compassion for life that an actual human would." he said, and the pointy eared girl groaned aloud before going silent.

Sitting at his desk, Cetanu sighed. "I spoke to Seteth, and he tell me about something called the Rite of Rebirth. Apparently, him, Rhea and Flayn vanish into the Goddess Tower for a time and pray for the return of the Goddess." he said, and they all nodded.

"This is a time when the gates are open to anyone who wants to walk through them. It's going to be an absolute madhouse. As such, we have to assume that our enemy, if they exist, will strike at that point." he said.

"What if their goal isn't to strike down the Archbishop?" Dimitri asked, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. He'd considered this, but all of the prisoners had been fervent about their desire to kill the Archbishop. Of course, that could have been a diversion.

"Assume the assassination attempt is a diversion. Where would you strike?" he asked, and his students seemed to contemplate this. "What about the treasury? I bet there's a bunch of expensive artifacts they can ransom off." Sylvain suggested, and Cetanu shook his head. "It's too obvious. Besides, Manuela tells me that her and the Eagles will guard the treasury." he said, and Mercedes blinked.

"What about the Cathedral? They could be after the statues of the Four Saints." she said, and Cetanu hummed. "Roping Lonato and some of the students here into an elaborate scheme to steal some statues is foolhardy at best. Besides, the Knights of Seiros will be all over the Cathedral. It's too risky."

"What about the Holy Tomb? It's said to house the corpse of the Goddess herself." Felix suggested, and Cetanu hummed. He pondered it for a second, and then he nodded. "That sounds perfect. What better to hold against the church then the pilfered body of the Goddess herself? Good thinking." he said, humming to himself.

"The Rite of Rebirth is in two days. Prepare however you must. I will inform Rhea and Seteth of our plan in the meantime. Make sure you train wisely so you have energy for the mission. We have no idea what will be down there." he said, and they all nodded before dispersing.

Leaving the classroom last after grading a few written assignments, noting how immaculate Sylvain's handwriting was, Cetanu was met by Edelgard and Hubert, the two seemingly waiting for him as he left the classroom.

"To what do I owe the visit?" he asked, and Edelgard frowned. "Bernadetta cracked, Professor. She said that she learned something from her little recon mission that you made her promise to keep secret." she said, and Cetanu nodded. "That's not a surprise. I assumed that she'd fold eventually, especially with Hubert here." he said.

"She says that you came to her room and threatened her. Of course, she says that her memory is a little foggy, but just her claiming you came to her room is suspicious enough." he said, and Cetanu inwardly frowned.

He knew his magick needed work. After all, he was trying to manipulate the mind itself. His specialty was the flesh itself. He needed more work with his Fleshcrafting, that was for sure.

"I did pay her a visit, yes. I merely asked her why she was spying on me and Ashe's training is all. I found it a little weird that you'd put her up to it in the first place." he said, and Edelgard's brow furrowed.

"Bernadetta claims that you were merely overseeing the training of Ashe and one of the Golden Deer students. Are you sure that you want that to be your story?" she asked, and Cetanu couldn't help but frown.

Not only was he being interrogated, but indirectly threatened. "Regardless of what tale I tell you, Princess, you won't be satisfied until you squeeze every bit of information out of Bernadetta like the juice of an orange. Why waste my time trying to figure out what happened at Zanado when you can go there yourself and see what blood and gore remains?" he said, and she only frowned.

Cetanu could feel himself growing more and more displeased. "Now, If you's be so kind as to excuse yourself from my presence, I have to plan for the Rite of Rebirth." he said, turning and walking away, his cape flapping in the breeze.

Bernadetta didn't much enjoy sitting in the Dining Hall, especially by herself. She tried to sit in the most off to the side place without sitting on the floor. Unfortunately for her, it wasn't off to the side enough.

A lean man with bloodshot eyes and a rather relaxed attitude sat across from her, his casual uniform bright white, letting Bernadetta know that she was dealing with a Knight of Seiros. He looked to her, offering her a smile and a nod.

"Bernadetta, right? You're Count Varley's kid, aren't you?" he asked, and she nodded. She was rather cautious, the man seeming almost impossibly calm and kind, his voice belying a tone of absentmindedness. "Don't like the guy. Hope you make a better Count." he said, almost like it was more to himself.

"Wh-what do you want?" she asked, starting to quiver in fear. The man sighed, scratching the back of his head. "My name is Samyaza. Your dad might have talked about me negatively. I argued with him one time about his soldiers shooting down one of my Wyverns. Adrestians sometimes call me the Demon Lord of Sloth." he said, and she only became more pale.

"D-D-Demon Lord!?" she said, squealing and closing her eyes. He rolled his own, shrugging. "Sounds scary, but I'm not evil or actually a demon. Unlike Cetanu." he said, and she froze up, looking to Samyaza as he smiled. "Glad I got your attention." he said, rolling his right shoulder.

"The Princess tried to threaten Cetanu earlier, because apparently you snitched a little. Now, that's fine, but Cetanu wants people to learn what he is at his own leisure. I only came to tell you to keep quiet, or to ask Cetanu for help. He can have me or one of our brothers in arms help you. Of course, there is one other option." he said, a sly grin crossing his almost serpentine features.

Resting in the sauna, Cetanu continued to meditate, gathering magickal energy and clearing his mind. Within the Holy Tomb, he knew that he'd likely be facing some manners of thieves and assassins, and he wondered if his students were ready for it.

He felt someone sit across from him, and he opened his eyes, inhaling. The man sitting across from him was rather tall, and his hair was long, and almost white in color. His eyes were a lavender color, and they looked familiar, as if he'd seen them before. "What?" the man asked, his voice airy and theatric, something that amused Cetanu for some reason.

"Apologies. I don't believe we've been introduced. I'm Cetanu Eisner, Professor for the Blue Lion House." he said, extending his hand out. The man looked to his hand, then back to Cetanu. The ebon mercenary could tell that the man was familiar with the sight of blood and death, as his bright eyes were dull, much like Cetanu's own eyes.

"I am Jeritza von Hrym. I am a Combat Professor for all students." he said, and Cetanu nodded, placing his hand back on his lap. "I see. If you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate a chance to spar with you sometime. My normal sparring partners are rather busy, being Knights of Seiros." he said.

The man frowned, and simply stared, as if measuring Cetanu's power. Cetanu chose to do the same, realizing that this man was rather strong. Cetanu realized that he was likely evenly matched with this man, and that only made him want to fight him even more. Then, another thought crossed Cetanu's mind.

What if this man were an enemy? Would any of his students be able to defeat him? Outmatch him? Or would they even be able to survive a confrontation with this man? If this man was able to perform any form of advanced magicks, then there was no chance for any of his students. He immediately made a mental note of this for later.

"Perhaps one day. You seem to be worth… strong, you seem strong." he said, and Cetanu rose a brow. Worth what? Worth killing? This amused Cetanu, and the two merely sat in silence, resisting the urge to simply strike the other for a reaction.

Later that night, Bernadetta simply sat, hiding underneath her blanket, quivering and afraid. She knew how this worked. Until she was willing to tell Edelgard and Hubert everything she knew, there would be haunting spells cast upon her and the things in her room. Just last night, her sewing kit came to life and impaled a few of the stuffed toys she brought with her, causing her to scream in agonized horror.

She thought to exactly what she was told by Samyaza, who offered her many outs to this situation, none of which sounding pleasant. However, at this very moment, she was scared to the point where she couldn't think. She exited her room, holding nothing but a small knife to fend off any would be attackers, walking passed the doors of student after student, realizing that there was only three doors left.

Stopping at the next door, she looked to it, her hands shaking as she knocked on the door, cautiously and quietly. She honestly hoped her knocking would go unheard, so she could flee back to her room to hopefully sleep the night full of terrors away.

She wasn't so lucky, however. The door immediately opened, and the handsome features of Ashe came into her view, his face looking incredibly normal, incredibly human. "Bernadetta, hello. What brings you here so late?" he asked.

Despite the moon being high in the sky, it's waning gibbous features visible in the eyes of the young Faerghus native, he seemed wide awake, as if he was perfectly rested for the day's activities. She shook, trying to find the right words.

"U-um, I need your help." she said, and he stepped away from the door, inviting her in. When she sat at the desk in his room, she only became more afraid when he closed the door and sat on the edge of the bed. "What seems to be the problem?" he asked, and she sighed, hoping that she was safer here.

"Would you mind if I stayed here tonight? Hubert has been torturing me about what I know." she said, and Ashe put a confused look on his face before blinking. "Oh." he said, as if surprised she knew anything. She nodded, and Ashe hummed.

"And you won't tell, right? Did the Professor tell you to stay quiet?" he asked, and she shook her head. "no, but I don't want to be a burden and cause trouble. They managed to torture a little out of me, but I promise I didn't tell them about you guys!" she said, fearful that Ashe would strike her down.

He smiled, nodding kindly and exhaling. "It's alright. I don't mind watching out for you tonight. Of course, I'll try and solve your problem too. Maybe I can ask the Professor to help me." he said, his eerie smile seeming more warm and welcoming than his sire's.

The next morning, Cetanu found himself in Seteth's office. There was no Audience Chamber, no Rhea, no Flayn, just the two of them sitting across from each other, something Cetanu found rather odd.

"It has been brought to my attention that you were apparently caught paying a late night visit to a student outside of your class. This wouldn't be seen as a problem, as many students require private tutelage, but it the fact of the age difference that disturbs me." he said, and Cetanu resisted the urge to frown.

"So Edelgard wants you to believe that I prey upon young girls, is that right?" he said, trying to turn his agitation into amusement. Seteth narrowed his eyes. "You seem rather familiar with the specifics of this complaint." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

"I paid Bernadetta a visit because I was concerned as to what had her spying on me and my student training. She told me that Edelgard put her up to it, because she's fascinated with Ashe. Infact, one of my mercenary brothers told me they had him surrounded." he said, his amusement shifting into agitation.

"I am fully aware that the circumstances of Ashe's miraculous recovery are rather interesting, but I'm finding it rather agitating, if I may be honest." he said, inhaling.

"I will provide an explanation when I see fit. Prodding into the affairs of me and my students is rather uncouth, don't you think?" he asked, and Seteth closed his eyes before nodding. "I hate to admit it, but you are correct." he said, shaking his head.

"I am curious as well, but I assume that it can not be helped. However, your relationship with one of your own students has been cause for concern among some members of the Church." he said, and Cetanu frowned.

"Forgive me if I focus on the student that took his father's life. I understand that you and your friends might want to see my downfall, but do know that if I wanted to give up my position, I would make that very, very clear." he said, and Seteth frowned.

Cetanu stood and left, finding his emotions rather hard to control. The accusations thrown against him were rather agitating, and all of his attempt to spin that into the overly snarky personality he had such fun with had failed.

This was proof to Cetanu that he still needed to work on his emotions. He thought that he had them under control, and had a mastery over the way he felt and reacted to things, but he briefly wondered if something that could be so easily controlled was even emotion at all.


	16. Zechariah 2:13

Early into the next morning, Cetanu and Ashe were training, preparing for the mission later that morning. "Professor, what are we going to do about Edelgard?" he asked, and Cetanu rose a brow.

He lowered his stance and exhaled. "What brought this on?" he asked, and Ashe sighed. "That small girl, Bernadetta, spent last night in my room. She felt comfortable that I could keep her safe. I didn't feed from her though, I couldn't bring myself to do it." he said.

Cetanu closed his eyes, sighing. "What would you do?" he asked, and Ashe hummed. "All Edelgard wants is the truth. We can help Bernadetta by telling her." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head. "You would tell the future Emperor of Adrestia that there are two Blood Demons walking about Garreg Mach casually?" he asked.

Ashe understood where Cetanu was coming from. Someone with the authority of Edelgard wasn't to be trusted with that information. Cetanu shook his head. "I will agree with you on one count. Trying to keep it a secret from the others is quite a pain, and I also wish for Bernadetta's safety." he said, humming.

"If we find any enemies within the Holy Tomb, you have free reign. If you wish to feast on their flesh in front of everyone, I will not hold you. My focus will be on eliminating our enemies. Otherwise, feel free to casually tell them as we patrol the Tomb." he said, and Ashe nodded.

"As for Bernadetta's safety, I am not sure how to guarantee it. I can't just go to Rhea about this, nor Seteth. If one of us could forge documents, I think it could buy us some time." he said, and Ashe blinked.

"I can forge documents to an extent. What would you propose?" he asked, and Cetanu smiled. "Just that. A Proposal. I must gather the others for the mission, but what you can do is get Bernadetta on board with our hoax. Forge documents calling for a betrothal between Bernadetta and Dimitri." he said, and Ashe blinked.

He realized that it was actually genius. The extent that Edelgard would have to go to to prove that the documents were fake would buy them time, and, while they worried about their authenticity, they'd leave Bernadetta alone for that sole reason.

With most of the Lions gathered at the Training Grounds, the class noticed that Cetanu and Dimitri were absent. "What's taking the two of them so long?" Sylvain asked, still shaking the last feelings of slumber from his body.

Ashe smiled. "They're just discussing strategy I bet. You know how enthusiastic the Professor is about combat." he suggested, trying to divert their attention. Felix frowned, shaking his head. "Perhaps the boar just refuses to get out of bed." he said, and Ashe chuckled at the remark.

"You want me to play along with that?" Dimitri asked, walking towards the training grounds with Cetanu. The ebon merc nodded. "Ashe will get Bernadetta on board, but you must understand that no matter who figures out what me and Ashe are, Edelgard can not. I don't trust that girl." he said, and Dimitri nodded.

"So what should I do? Pretend to be infatuated with her?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "Just spend time with her when she consents. Stitch tears in clothes, let her fire arrows at your armor, listen to her. All we need is for it to be believable." he said.

As they reached the training grounds, Dimitri sighed and nodded, almost reluctantly. Cetanu turned to the larger group. "We will be heading to the Holy Tomb in but a few hours. Meet me at the entrance to the Tomb after you suit up and grab what you need. Seteth tells me it's a vast area, so bring a horse if you need to." he explained, his eyes focused.

"If there is anyone in the Tomb trying to touch the body of the Goddess, they are to be killed. Nothing less. Spare no one. I mean it." he said, his gaze focusing on the few students who seemed hesitant in Zanado. They all nodded, scattering to prepare.

Waiting at the entrance to the Tomb, Cetanu pondered the Edelgard issue. Should he take a drastic measure, or should he play it safe? One misstep could be the beginning of a war between the Adrestian Empire and the Church. The Alliance and Kingdom would likely aid against the Empire, but it would still be a horrific war.

"Are you worried that some people would die?" Sothis asked, and Cetanu nodded. "The awakening of my emotions has caused me to grow much more worried about the lives of others. Edelgard seems to care much less than I, and that makes her a massive problem." he said, and Sothis sighed.

"Honestly, you're letting a little girl get to you like this? I don't care if she's the next Archbishop, she's just a girl a couple years younger than you. I'm sure you can handle her." she said, and Cetanu tilted his head.

Cetanu flexed his hands, and Sothis seemed to take that the wrong way. "No! Do not do anything of the sort! You want to be 'normal' so much, cast such villainy out of your mind!" she scolded, and Cetanu merely smiled outwardly, and Sothis cringed in fear.

"Hey Professor!" Sylvain said, being the first to make it to the Tomb. He rode up in a light suit of armor, atop an armored horse. He had a lance strapped to the horse, easy to grab and strike with.

He hopped down from the horse and sighed. Cetanu looked to him, realizing that he didn't often have much personal time with his student. He normally left it to Asmodeus, as the two were both flirtatious cavaliers.

"Sylvain, say that someone was trying to find out one of your secrets. Someone with more power than you. What would you do?" he asked, and Sylvain made a face that showed his confusion. "I'm not sure." he said, humming.

"I don't really care what people know about me. I'm my own person, Professor, and no amount of dirt on me will change who I am and what I want to do in my life." he said, and Cetanu began to laugh. He found it rather amusing that Sylvain had such knowledge. It was quite the surprise.

The rest of the Lions filed in slowly, and Ingrid was also on a horse. With Sylvain back on his horse, the group, as one, entered the tomb.

They walked through a small, poorly lit path. There was a sharp left turn in the Tomb, and a bright light coming from what Cetanu assumed was the main chamber. He approached cautiously, turning the corner and frowning.

He began counting, odd bandits and soldiers in plague masks, scattered about the massive tomb. Cetanu countered upwards of forty of them, the Lions outnumbered about five to one. Cetanu began formulating strategies as he looked about.

Then, he saw him. In the center of the Tomb, proudly atop a black horse in horned armor, was a knight. His armor was the darkest of black, spikes shooting out from the shoulder and a tattered cape that laid loosely from his back.

He wore a mask, a demonic face and massive horns adding to his mystique and presence. And in his hand was a huge scythe, the knight looking less like an enemy commander and more like the grim reaper, a figure that signals death for all who see him.

"Split into two groups. One goes east, the other west. I will go north and deal with the masked knight. Move!" he called, and they all nodded, splitting into two groups, Cetanu moving forward first.

This time, Cetanu was armed with only an axe made of Steel. He was glad he chose this weapon, because it's curved head could be used to great effect against the scythe.

"Stay back. If you do not wish to die… you will flee now." The masked knight called, a booming, magickally altered voice that again added to his air of evil. Cetanu glanced to the left, seeing Sylvain, Felix, Ingrid, Mercedes and Annette moving though, Ashe, Dedue and Dimitri to the right.

One of the mask wearing soldiers, who Cetanu could tell were mages, called out. "Hold them back men! I'm close to destroying the barrier around the Goddess' coffin!" he called, and Cetanu realized that he'd have to move quickly.

To the east, Dedue, Ashe and Dimitri moved in a three man group, Dimitri slamming his axe through a bandit, Ashe launching an arrow over Dimitri's shoulder and into the eye of one of the mask wearing mages.

With a large metal shield in his hand, Dedue covered Dimitri, shielding him from a flying ball of fire. Ashe continued to launch arrows, his speed better than before. "Thanks, let's keep moving!" Dimitri called, slowly reaching the back of the Tomb.

Cetanu rolled away from the lance, the knight charging him from his steed. Cetanu began to watch his opponent's movements, parrying a jab from the scythe with his axe. He had to get rid of that horse.

Channeling his magick into his left hand, he waited for the next charge from the black knight. When he parried the scythe, he shoved back, forcing his grip on the axe high and allowing him to throw a magickally charged punch at the horse.

Struck in the throat, the horse reared up, it's neck flailing as the knight dismounted, the animal crashing to the ground and bleeding from the mouth and nose. The knight and Cetanu both lowered their stances, the duo almost in sync.

The both moved forward at the same time, clashing blades, Cetanu at a disadvantage in everything except speed. Cetanu shoved forward, the force causing them both to slide back. Using his free hand, Cetanu swiped upwards, launching a wave of energy through the ground. The black knight moved to avoid it, Cetanu capitalizing on his exposed side.

Cetanu came down, striking his armor and making his foe stumble back. Cetanu moved to strike again, his opponent launching a bolt of lightning and searing Cetanu, sending him reeling back. Cetanu shook his head, realizing that he was being attacked, dropping the axe and channeling magick into both of his hands.

Cetanu lifted his hands up as the dark knight swung his scythe, the demon dropping to his knees, the reaper's death blow striking naught but air. His fists connecting with the ground, a massive wave of energy, almost like a Raging Storm condensed into a small area, struck the knight, sending him off his feet and crashing to the ground.

The knight cursed as he rolled to his feet. "Perhaps… you are the one I seek." he said, more to himself. He clenched his scythe again, and Cetanu rolled his shoulders. That lightning bolt caused a lot of damage that wouldn't likely fade before the end of this battle.

With the entire class fighting together again, the moved against a horde of bandits and mages, Ingrid and Sylvain using their mobility advantage to aid in tearing down their foes. However, the mage in the back grew impatient.

"The seal will break anyway! Move!" he screamed, his men bailing out of the way as he loosed a massive ball of flame at the Lions, who narrowly avoided it, being set upon by the seemingly rehearsed attack.

A sword found it's way into Ingrid's thigh, the shock causing her to fall from her horse and hit the ground. Sylvain moved to protect her, but a bolt of lightning seared the flank of his steed, sending him crashing to the ground.

With the bandit moving in on Ingrid, Felix moved to protect her, parrying blades with the bandit. He cast a glance back to Ingrid, who simply tried to scramble back past a row of smaller coffins, almost unable to use her leg.

One of the coffins exploded open, and a bandit wielding a dagger rose, Ingrid realizing she was defenseless. Felix called out to her, being struck in the arm by a rogue slash as an arrow found it's way into the man's left eye.

Ingrid looked to Ashe, who didn't seem to be the most pleased. Dimitri picked up on this, calling for a change in formation. "Dedue, Sylvain, Annette, protect Felix and Ingrid so Mercedes can heal them! Me and Ashe will stay on the offensive!" he called, his classmates, no, his comrades moving into formation.

With just Ashe and Dimitri on the offensive, the shorter male abandoned his bow for a sword he pilfered from a deceased enemy. The two made quite the tandem, thinning down the number of opponents to less than their own. However, Dimitri seemed to grow slightly weary, his decision to wear slightly heavier armor catching up to him.

Ashe looked to his leader, his friend, his King. "Fall back Your Highness! I can handle it!" he called, parrying blades with one of the bandits, kicking him back.

Dimitri refused to listen, burying his lance into the abdomen of one of the bandits. The only mage left was the leader, who turned back to the barrier surrounding the single largest coffin.

However, this bandit wasn't going down without a fight. With a dying grip, he held onto the lance, throwing Dimitri off as another bandit came from the flank and struck his armor. He struck again and again until the armor gave way.

A snap was heard, and Dimitri's left arm went limp, the Prince roaring as he twisted his lance, freeing it from the grip of the bandit, whose innards were torn asunder.

The man battering Dimitri's arm moved for another strike, but he was snatched up, Ashe yanking him back and disarming him in one fluid motion. The man grit his teeth, yelling as he threw a wild haymaker.

Ashe struck, punching him in the face and knocking him to the ground. He was weary, he was tired, and most importantly, be it the memory of Bernadetta sleeping serenely in his bed as he read books, or his own inner Demon taking over, he dropped his knee into the man's chest.

He grabbed the man by the face, his mouth growing heavy as he inhaled. He dove down, slamming his fangs into the man's throat as he struggled in a fear stricken daze.

Mercedes' magick stopped, the students assigned with protecting the injured completely dumbfounded at the sight, the man's body unable to escape the clutches of the boy feasting on it's life force.

"Good job dealing with the riff raff." they heard, turning to see Cetanu, blood trailing him from wounds across his body. He simply walked past Dimitri, Ashe and the rest of his students, seeing the final mage move to the coffin, it's protective spell broken.

Ashe let the man go, panting as he realized that he'd given in to his most vile urges. Blood was still on his tongue, his fangs red and heavy as he rose to his feet. There was something about feeding on the life force, the blood of one of his enemies at the end of a long battle that made him feel a sense of elation. He simply looked to the ceiling, exhaling a thin red mist of blood.

The man began cackling insanely as Cetanu approached silently. "The Goddess' body is ours!" he cried, freezing up as he looked in the coffin. "A… a sword?" he mused, confused as he pulled the odd blade from the coffin.

He turned to Cetanu, holding the blade out weakly. "I don't know what this is, but don't make me use it on you!" he called, and Cetanu simply continued walking forward. The man crept back, realizing that he was completely outmatched.

The man charged Cetanu, coming down with the blade. The blade, an odd, bony thing that was somewhere between white and gold, seemed to pass through Cetanu without a single scratch. "Wh-what happened?" the man asked, and Cetanu smiled.

"Give me the sword." he said, and the man scoffed. "Never!" he called, and Cetanu's smile remained. "You saw what my students did to your forty odd men. You will die today. All you must do is decide how." he said, and the man charged again.

Cetanu caught the blade in his hand, and suddenly, he felt a rush of energy. He pulled the blade from the man's grip, realizing that this blade, whatever it was, belonged to him.

The man put up a thick barrier, and Cetanu simply took a simple stance. He lifted the blade overhead and came down, shattering the barrier and sending the mage flying back.

The Blue Lions were slightly disturbed by their Professor, who seemed to relish in scaring, dominating and defeating the mage. It was an odd thing to do, as if he was trying to draw something out of the mage.

Cetanu slammed the blade into the floor, walking up to the man, grabbing him by the throat and hoisting him into the air. "The sword wants me to make this quick." he said, and the man seemed to quiver. Suddenly, the man screamed in horror, feeling an immense amount of pain from his innards as his ribcage exploded from his chest and morphed.

It was a horrific display, the ribs extending and twisting their shape into a small flower, his innards and the blood within him simply seeping out as Cetanu laid him down gently on his back. The Lions couldn't see what look was on his face, and they didn't truly want to.

Cetanu pulled the sword from the ground, placing it through a loop on his belt. "We're done here." he said, heading to leave without a word to any of his students.

When the Lions exited the Tomb, they noticed that Catherine and a few of the Knights of Seiros were waiting, as if they were about to enter the tomb. Cetanu looked to his students.

"Mercedes, Sylvain, take the injured to the infirmary. The rest of you go as well to get checked on. I want all of you to rest and meet me in the dining hall two hours before sunrise. Move." he said, his students leaving according to his orders.

Catherine frowned. "What happened in there?" she asked, and Cetanu sighed. "About forty something of em. Their all dead. However, they were able to break into the Goddess' coffin. Found this." he said, drawing the sword.

The blade hummed, beginning to glow a bright color as soon as Cetanu held it out. He tilted his head, and Catherine frowned. She knew something he didn't, and he wasn't a big fan of that. "You should report to Lady Rhea as soon as possible. We'll clean up here."

When Cetanu entered the Audience Chamber, he noticed that he interrupted a conversation between Rhea and Seteth, who looked to him with a sense of surprise. "Professor, are you alright? You're wounded." Rhea said. Cetanu bowed before her, noticing that he was still bleeding a little. "Your concern is the only assistance I require." he said, sighing.

"I came to report. Me and my class ran into nearly fifty armed men and mages. They seemed to be after the body of the Goddess or something within the Holy Tomb." he said, and the two green haired leaders looked to each other.

"You suppressed them, I hope." Seteth said. Cetanu nodded. "Of course. My students did quite a good job, and suffered minimal injuries that should be able to be patched up and heal within a week or two. However, there was one enemy that worries even me." he said, and he sighed.

"There was a knight, a black garbed, skeleton masked monster of a warrior with a huge scythe. I was able to match him blow for blow, hence my injuries, but without someone at least as strong as I am, he might pose a threat. He fled after I damaged his mask, but he was awfully formidable." he said, and Seteth nodded.

"I'll have the Knights of Seiros stay vigilant. Did anything else of note happen?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. He reached down to his waist, and drew the odd sword that he wrenched from the enemy mage. As soon as it left his hip, Seteth and Rhea's jaws went slack.

Cetanu exhaled lightly, the blade beginning to glow as soon as he focused on the weapon. "Wh-where did you get this!?" Seteth asked, and Cetanu tilted his head, spinning the blade and placing it back on his hip. "It was within the large coffin in the back of the Tomb. The enemy mage was convinced it would allow him to defeat me. However, it was quite the opposite." he said.

"As soon as I began to wield this thing, my magickal understanding seemed to heighten. A form of magick that I was struggling with was suddenly slightly easier to understand and use. It also glows oddly when I use it, and had this odd hole in it." he said, and Rhea smiled.

"That… is the Sword of the Creator. It is a Hero's Relic of incredible power, and in ancient times was used by the evil King Nemesis. Even amongst the Hero's Relics, it is an unstoppable holy weapon with no equal." she said, and Seteth.

"Which is precisely why, regardless of your peculiar ability to use it, we must take it and place it under constant watch." he said, and Rhea narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.

"It has been so long since that blade has surfaced, much less one can use it. As long as you swear to never turn it upon us, I will entrust it to you." she said, and Cetanu rose a brow.

Seteth found this just as absurd, if not more so. "Rh- Lady Rhea! You must reconsider leaving the Sword of the Creator in the hands of a stranger! For all we know, he could be allied with those who seek your downfall." he said.

Cetanu leveled the blade against Seteth, who turned to him, a look that was have enraged and have worried on his face. "I would never turn my blade upon Lady Rhea. Nor will I allow anyone else to." he said. He turned to Rhea, jabbing the blade into the ground and taking a knee. "I swear that this blade shall never be raised against the Church, or the Goddess." he said, and Rhea.

With Cetanu dismissed, Seteth looked to Rhea, a frown on her face. "Leaving that thing in his possession was a mistake. He's nothing but trouble." he said, and Rhea only chuckled. "You must have faith, Seteth. Perhaps he can right the wrongs done by those that have wielded that blade in times past." she said, noticing that Catherine was approaching them, an odd look on her face.

She bowed, looking to Rhea and sighing. "Whatever he told you is true. There were plenty of bodies and blood down there, and a couple of things that were really… off." she said, and Seteth folded his arms. "What was off about them?" he asked, and Catherine rubbed the back of her neck.

"One of the bodies, probably the leader, was laid on his back with his ribcage somehow, someway twisted into the shape of a flower. It was like some foul magick forced his body to kill him." she said, and Rhea and Seteth looked to each other, a silent look with many meanings.

"That is most worrisome, but Professor Cetanu assured us that the Sword of the Creator was what caused his magick to perform as such… I assume. What else was the problem?" he asked, and Catherine narrowed her eyes, as if worried about something else.

"One of the bandits was… he was bitten. There were bite marks on his throat, and when we moved his body, it was light. There wasn't a single drop of blood in him. He was drained dry, and there was no blood around his body." she said, sounding more and more worried.

Rhea felt a chill go down her spine at this. A body forced to mold against it's will, and a bloodless corpse with a bite mark upon it? There had to be some other explanation. She swore that she dealt with THAT a very, very long time ago.


	17. John 3:16

When the Lions, all slightly groggy and worn from the previous day, filed into the Dining Hall, they were slightly surprised. They were met by not only Cetanu, but all of his mercenary allies. Jeralt was absent, as usual, but the other five were there as well.

"I'm glad you all decided to show up." Cetanu said, a chuckle emanating from his left. "You know that you'd drag them out of bed if they didn't show up on their own." Asmodeus said, and Cetanu shrugged, not saying anything.

The Lions all sat down, some of them still in light cloth garments meant to sleep in, Sylvain's shirt loosely buttoned and Felix wearing a pair of shorts. Ashe was fully dressed as expected, since he didn't sleep very much anymore.

"You all did very well yesterday. The mission was a resounding success, and I applaud your individual growth." he said, and they all smiled or nodded, liking the praise. "However, I'm sure that after the mission a few of you might have some questions. We are here to answer them." he said, and they all looked to each other.

"What happened to that sword?" Felix asked, and Cetanu drew it from his hip, laying it on the table in front of him. "It's called the Sword of the Creator. Apparently it's very important, and even without a 'Crest Stone', it's compatible with my Crest." he said, and Annette looked at the weapon.

"What kind of crest is compatible with this? I've never seen anything like it." she asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "According to Hanneman, who has been an immense help, my Crest is rather rare. Infact, according to Hanneman, the only known bearers of my Crest are King Nemesis, and the Goddess herself." he said, and they looked to him.

"You mean that you have the Crest of Flames?" Mercedes asked. Cetanu nodded. "I do. With Hanneman's aid, I will be looking into my Crest to see how I can employ it in battle and how to implement it's usage into training regimens." he said.

"What… what happened with that mage?" Dimitri asked, trying his best to not think about the grisly sight. Cetanu folded his arms, sighing. "When I touched the Sword, I felt a wave of energy, and of knowledge. With the Sword, I'm able to do stuff like that to people. It's almost like the next level of my Fleshcrafting." he said, and Dedue narrowed his eyes.

"Fleshcrafting?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Fleshcrafting is magick exclusive to… people like me. Of course, Abaddon here can tell you about different kinds of our magick that I probably can't use." he said, and the one eyed sniper nodded.

"It's true. In Brigid, we encountered a few that had a kind of magick we called 'Delirium'. It was odd mental magick that let them communicate and attack telepathically." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

"What do you mean 'people like you'?" Sylvain asked, the question Cetanu was waiting for. He inhaled, looking to his brothers in arms, who all nodded to him, the five of them knowing that despite his outward personality, Cetanu was still worried at heart.

"Blood Demons. Blood drinking individuals that aren't human. The 'Demon' comes from the fact that our creator, the Sky Dragon, daughter of the Goddess, deemed us failed experiments and her and mankind eventually wiped us out." he said, and they all seemed dumbfounded, unable to speak.

"There's a couple of stragglers we've been hunting on and off since joining the Boss, but most of them are gone." Samyaza said, the man's serpentine features oddly normal and rounded out, his eyes not bloodshot for once.

"When Abaddon eventually told us what Cetanu was, most of us were cautious about it. We weren't sure when he'd snap and start feeding on people. Thankfully, we can tell that he's pretty much in control." Beelzebub said, brushing his golden locks from his face.

"So.. you healed Ashe..." Ingrid trailed off, and Cetanu nodded. "I turned him. The process is called the 'Embrace' in some texts, and it thankfully works." he said, and they all looked to Ashe.

The silver haired boy was slightly somber, his eyes head pointing to the ground. "I.. I didn't want you guys to know, but it's just really hard keeping it a secret." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

"We don't feed often. In the month or so since we both started living as Fleshcrafters, Ashe has fed three or four times, and I've fed three. However, starving can lead us to losing control, as you all saw." he said, and Ashe only made a whimper.

"Three times? So you guys don't eat normal food?" Sylvain asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "We do, but the magickal energy in humans and the dopamine from them being surprised or scared is what satiates us." he said, and they all seemed to have different reactions.

Cetanu glanced to Abaddon, who nodded. "Now, I understand this is a lot to take in. I offer you the chance to continue speaking with me, or going back to bed to mull it over. Of course, in the unfortunate scenario you do not wish to be around me and Ashe, I've already informed Hanneman and Manuela, and they'd be willing to open their Houses to you." he said.

Ashe nodded. "I'm staying with the Professor. The only one who can teach me about what I am." he said, and he looked to his classmates. They all seemed to be deep in thought. Cetanu rose from his seat. "I must away. One of the Black Eagles found out before you guys, and I've been doing everything to keep them from snitching to Edelgard." he said, leaving without another glance or another word.

Beelezebub nodded as well. "I too must depart. I need my beauty sleep after all." he said, and Asmodeus rolled his eyes, silently and oddly following the blonde Grappler.

Ashe frowned at the lack of movement, or of a reaction from his classmates. "I.. I have to go. I still need to sleep sometimes." he said, laughing awkwardly before leaving.

"So? What are you runts gonna do?" Samyaza asked, and the Lions looked to him blankly. "I.. I'm staying. I'm the house leader, and I've had more time then everybody else to deal with this." Dimitri said, sounding unsure of himself before he left.

"Some leader. He sounded like he was scared to say what he really wanted to." Samyaza said, oddly talkative compared to most days. Abaddon looked to his wyvern taming friend. "What do you expect? He's the only one that Ashe fed from but not Cetanu. His memory is unaltered." he said, and the rest of the Lions looked to the pair.

"He.. he fed from Dimitri?" Ingrid asked, and Abaddon looked to her, nodding. "Yeah. Ashe sometimes comes to us to talk about his problems because we like listening. He said it was real weird for him. Even weirder than when he fed from that Ignatz kid." he said, and they all seemed rather unsettled by that.

Samyaza blinked. "You know, I just realized that as far as we know, Ashe has been feeding more than Cetanu. He fed from Cetanu to come back, than Ignatz and Dimitri and than the guy during the mission. His appetite is a lot bigger than Cetanu's." he mused.

"So he could turn on any of us at any moment, is what you're saying." Sylvain said, and Abaddon shook his head. "According to Cetanu, his appetite is easy to suppress and ignore. It's the inner inhuman instinct that wants him to feed that he battles. He calls it either his 'Beast' or his 'inner Fiend', but he has more control than Ashe, who has very good control." he said, and they all seemed skeptical.

"How can we be assured that he remains in control?" Dedue asked, and Samyaza shrugged. "You can't. But, that Bernadetta girl from the Black Eagles slept in his room last night and didn't get bit. You guys should be fine." he said, and they seemed slightly more relaxed.

"Regardless, I'm sticking with the Lions. It's weird, but I'm glad he's on my side at least." Sylvain said, sounding far more sure of himself than Dimitri, the red haired cavalier departing with his head held high.

"Well, the Professor seems really devout to us. He's put in so much time training all of us uniquely and helping us grow, even if it was through all of you." Mercedes said, and Lillith, who had remained silent, smiled and nodded.

"Cetanu is a big softie at heart, and now that he can express himself, you'll see it. Look for the pride in his eyes while training, or when you all achieve something. It's genuine. No amount of weird magick or plasma in his diet is gonna change that." she said.

Mercedes nodded, rising and heading back to her room, Annette following close behind. Dedue soon left silently, likely off to seek Dimitri's counsel. This left Felix and Ingrid. Lillith left it to her two brothers in arms, heading to bed herself.

Samyaza shook his head. "I'm gonna go do some recon. That Hubert kid has been getting on my nerves asking the Knights about us." he said, and Abaddon nodded, looking to the two remaining Lions. "So? Are you two going to remain as part of the Pride, or are you going to change sides?" he asked, and they both looked to each other.

"I.. I'm staying. There's no way I'm going to abandon Faerghus and the others to that boar over someone completely unrelated." he said, his fist quivering as he almost timidly departed. Abaddon looked to the other cavalier in the class.

"Is.. is he going to feed on us?" she asked, and Abaddon rose a brow. "Cetanu has immense control over his body and great control over his mind. He will not feed from anyone he cares about without permission. He even made sure to ask multiple times before he fed from Asmodeus earlier. I can assure you of this as someone that's known him since he was born." he said, and Ingrid sighed, her breath quivering.

She reached down to her bandaged thigh, thinking back to the mission. "Can… can open wounds trigger them? Make them lose control?" she asked, and Abaddon hesitated. "Cetanu will not falter. I can not speak on Ashe. He is Cetanu's progeny, so I assure you that Cetanu will teach him to remain calm at all times." he said, and Ingrid shook her head.

She rose to her feet. Her leg wobbled a little, but she walked back to her room. She was very worried about Ashe. He lost it, and drained a man dry, all because he saw her bleed.

The next morning, they found that they had the day off. Cetanu chose to allow them respite, giving them free reign to do whatever they pleased. This was good for them, as they all had a lot to think about. They knew this themselves, and they all gathered in the Blue Lions classroom, Ashe oddly absent.

"Mr. Abaddon told us that Ashe… fed from you." Ingrid said to Dimitri, the Prince closing his eyes and nodding. "It.. it was something I don't like to think about. Not because I had my blood drained by a 'Demon', but because I was powerless against Ashe." he said, his hands intertwined and shaking ever so slightly.

"It wasn't like a feeling of fear either. It was a feeling of… submission. Like a dog scolded for trying to eat off the table. I don't know what he did, but Ashe was able to get me to lower my guard… it was almost like my body wanted to give in." he said, closing his eyes at how unpleasant it was.

"Why stay then? Couldn't you just change classes?" Felix asked, and Dimitri shrugged. He didn't honestly know what it was. Ingrid shook her head. "I think we should ask Seteth or Lady Rhea for help on this. They have to know, right?" she asked, her paranoia almost infectious.

Annette frowned, her hands folded in her lap. "Ingrid is right. I… I don't think we should keep it a secret. Someone could get hurt." she said, and the all mulled it over. "That someone could be Ashe." they heard, seeing Cetanu standing in the doorway.

"Professor!" A few of them called, shouting in surprise as the demon nodded to them, his demeanor oddly blank. "I don't wish for any of you to be afraid of us. However, I must ask that you remain quiet about this. I'm putting in effort to prevent Edelgard from knowing. I don't want to have to think about Seteth knowing." he said, his blank face slowly turning to a frown.

"If anything happened to me or those I care about because Seteth went behind Rhea's back to kill the Blood Demon wielding the Sword of King Nemesis, I'd be rather displeased." he said, the statement sounding at least part threatening.

Felix rose to his feet, his eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?" he asked, and Cetanu closed his eyes. "It's not. You are all my students, so I want you to do the best that you can for yourselves, but allow me that one request." he said, and Felix grit his teeth before sitting back down.

Cetanu sighed, leaving before anyone could say anything else. He wanted to leave them to their own thoughts, and he'd remain with his own. "I've never seen you so worried before." Sothis said, and Cetanu nodded. "If I ever go back to being a merc, I don't want to end up having to kill them. Or if we go to war and I side with Faerghus, imagine if they turned on their homeland. I would actually falter on the battlefield." he said, and Sothis laughed.

"You sound rather adorable right now. It's not every day I get to see you so worried. But I understand. Imagining them on the other side of a war from you would give anyone pause. I'm not sure what you can do to convince them that you aren't so bad, but you should do it quick. A few of them look ready to jump ship." she said, and Cetanu chuckled, knowing when she was teasing.

With the sun high over Garreg Mach, Ashe found himself alone, sitting in the courtyard by the classroom, the warm grass pleasant on his exposed legs. He chose to wear a pair or shorts today, the warm weather something he still enjoyed. He found himself deep in thought, as he did a lot recently.

His change did more than change him physically. It changed his perception of things. It was as if his inhuman existence, and his sharper vision, allowed him to see things that weren't there before. Suddenly, people were more attractive, and he could hear the blood running through their veins.

He was trying to cope with his newfound strength and perspective, but it was incredibly difficult. Infact, his own hunger was difficult to control. In the last week or so he'd already fed three times, compared to the two times Cetanu had fed. He was worried that his hunger, almost a nagging inner voice telling him to drain the life from others, would get someone he cared about killed.

This is why he was very worried when he found himself feeding from Dimitri. It was incredibly odd for him. With Ignatz, he had Cetanu there to guide him, help him before and after. This time, he was on his own, out of battle. It wasn't something he was fond of remembering.

Seeing Dimitri's flustered face, tasting the sickeningly sweet liquid that came from his neck, or the way Dimitri hung onto him limply as he fed. Ashe shook his head just thinking about it, realizing that he might have made a mistake.

"Ashe, right?" he heard, looking up to see Cetanu's Father, Jeralt Eisner, standing in the courtyard. He rose to his feet, nodding and bowing lightly. "Yes sir." he said, and Jeralt sighed. "You don't need to be formal with me. I'm just a mercenary." he said, jabbing his chin to the right as the two started walking side by side.

"You've been out of it according to my men. What's ailing you?" he asked, and Ashe looked away. Dare he tell Jeralt about Cetanu? Did he even know? "I've been… questioning myself recently. You see, Sir, I made a very important decision, and I think I might regret it." he said, and Jeralt hummed, glancing to the bright, cloudless blue sky above.

"How so? You seem to at least be in far better health than a while ago." he said, and Ashe looked to him, trying not to frown. "Well… I think the people around me aren't happy about it. They act alright, but I… I've already hurt someone I care about, more than once." he said, and Jeralt closed his eyes as the two continued walking, heading through the halls.

"I heard about the Western Church thing. Lonato was a good man. I'm sorry for your loss." he said, and Ashe nodded his thanks. "I was so torn up about fighting Lonato that I forgot all about my siblings. I hope they're alright." he said, and Jeralt chuckled as they headed up the stairs of the Monastery.

"Cetanu and Beelzebub took care of them. We had a couple of friends in the area that took them in." he said, and Ashe was rather surprised that Cetanu would go so far. "Is.. is he someone I can trust?" Ashe asked, and Jeralt sighed, entering his office and offering Ashe a seat. He inhaled, shaking his head as he thought about Ashe's question.

"Cetanu is… special. He's smart, but he's still trying to understand himself. I'm sure that he won't do anything to hurt you brats. Infact, I think the people that should be the most worried are his enemies." he said, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a flask of some form.

"Are you scared of what you'll do to people, Kid?" he asked, and Ashe blinked. Jeralt knew? When did Cetanu tell him, or did he always know about his son? "I.. I am. I already hurt Dimitri. I don't want to hurt anyone else." he said, and Jeralt laugh, taking a large gulp from the flask.

"Cetanu is the same, you know. He comes to me when he gets hungry, asks me how he can suppress it. You might think you're appetite is voracious, but Cetanu has been training constantly to keep himself in check." he said, and Ashe found himself surprised.

"Doesn't he… feed from people?" he asked, and Jeralt nodded. "He tries not to, but after a battle like the one you guys had during the Rebirth, he has to. It heals wounds and calms him. You shoulda seen him coddling Asmodeus through it. It was rather funny." he said, and Ashe laughed.

The thought of his teacher being cautious and coddling anyone, much less Asmodeus, was infact amusing. "How do I get them to understand that it's normal?" he asked, and Jeralt shrugged. "That's up to you, Kid. They liked you before, what's really changed about you? Your diet?" he asked, and Ashe nodded. He was right. Deep down, he was still exactly the same. And he'd make everyone see that.


	18. Ephesians 5:8

The next day, while waiting for Rhea and Seteth to inevitably give him his next mission, Cetanu found himself outside Garreg Mach, walking the forests around the Monastery, very aggravated. He'd been unable to solve any of his problems, and his students were actively trying to avoid him, even Ashe.

He stood in a small clearing, realizing that his frustration was clouding his mind. And of course, Sothis was asleep, the girl ignoring his mental attempts to wake her. All he wanted to do was go back to the pleasant way he felt when he first returned to Garreg Mach.

Cetanu balled up his fists, lifting his hands up high before casting them down and releasing a bellowing roar, his frustration causing all of the animals within a few miles to instinctively flee, the trees and ground shaking, as if afraid of the raging demon.

Bernadetta heard the roar from her place sitting in the training grounds, watching most of her classmates train. The sound, a horrifying, unearthly bellow, caught everyone's attention. A couple of soldiers immediately went into a fight or flight mode, holding their blades out and wondering if they were under attack. The sound terrified all of Garreg Mach, it's source eerily close to home.

The only one who knew without a shadow of a doubt what that roar was, was Ashe. When Cetanu released his angered bellow, Ashe's very being quivered. It was if Cetanu's emotions were trying to force themselves on him. It was difficult to resist, but Ashe suddenly felt a nagging urge to be angry. He wondered what was wrong with Cetanu, who was normally so well put together, so serene, so… happy.

Cetanu looked to the sky, his emotions simmering down as the sun beat down on his face. It was so difficult for him to remain in control anymore. He didn't understand, but between how he chose to feed as little as he could, the difficulty he was having with his students, or Edelgard, he wasn't in control.

Suddenly, his anger was joined by another feeling. A venomous, disdainful feeling that he wasn't sure of. He blinked, realizing that this was a feeling that his brothers in arms called Hatred. He HATED not being in control. It made him feel weak, idiotic, and made him question himself. He had to get back in control, and he had to do it now.

The Blue Lions, again missing Ashe, sat somberly, quietly in their classroom. They had yet another day to think about what they had learned, and yet… none of them were sure how to feel. The indecisiveness led them to avoid Ashe and Cetanu, something that they weren't fond of.

"My, this place is a killjoy." they heard, turning to see Manuela and Hanneman entering the room, both of them appearing outwardly happy. They sat on opposite ends of Cetanu's desk, looking to each other.

"We figured that you've had plenty of time to think things over. Do any of you have any questions for us?" Hanneman asked, and Dimitri glanced to the ground before speaking. "How did you guys take it?" he asked, and the two other Professor glanced to each other.

"I, personally found it fascinating. Professor Cetanu agreed to share information with me back and forth, as Crests I have little information on him and his fellows have fought themselves. This and I wish to study how a known Crest would alter when bared by a… Fleshcrafter." he said.

"So… you just look at it like a research subject?" Sylvain asked, and Hanneman nodded. "I'm far too old to let a young man with pointy teeth and an odd diet derail so many years of research. Especially when he's such a willing colleague." he said.

"What about you, Professor Manuela?" Annette asked, and Manuela giggled. "I think it's rather seductive, truly. There's something about the gaze he gives you that's both so comforting and unsettling at the same time. It's like a girlhood fantasy of a brooding warrior." he said, and Felix rose a brow. "So you don't care that he drinks blood and morphs people's bodies because… you think he's attractive?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Yes, is there something wrong with that?" she asked, a look of genuine confusion on her face. Hanneman cleared his throat, and Manuela sighed. "Regardless how we feel, the one that matters here is all of you. We were told to extend this offer to you, so… do any of you want to change Houses? You'll have the same dorm, but you'll have far less mandatory or required interaction with Cetanu." she said, and the room fell silent.

It was as if they were waiting for each other. Trying to gauge and see if anyone would actually do it. It wasn't something easy, changing your focus and teammates and training regimen after months, but it was more of a peace of mind thing, and they all understood that.

Which is why the group was surprised when Ingrid stood from her chair, her hand brushing over her still bandaged thigh. "P-Professor Manuela…. Can I… join your class?" she asked, and they all remained silent, dumbfounded by her actions. Manuela smiled and nodded. "Of course. I'll file for some paperwork, make Hanneman do it all and you should be able to join us tomorrow morning sweetie." she said, rising and leading Ingrid from the room.

After they were gone, their shock shifted into other emotions. Dimitri was outwardly angered by Ingrid's decision. "How could she do that!? We've been together for so long!" he said, and Felix folded his arms. "Perhaps she finally had enough of you. Using the Professor as a front for her disdain for you would be rather genius to me." he said, and Dimitri shot up, grabbing Felix by the collar.

"This isn't some kind of fucking joke! She just turned her back on all of us because she's a coward!" he screamed, and Felix shoved the Prince. "If you ever put your filthy hands on me again, I'll follow right behind her." he said, and Dimitri balled his fists. Dedue placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Please, Your Highness, you should calm yourself." he said, and Dimitri inhaled sharply, exhaling slowly as he sat down. Hanneman nodded to himself. "Are there any who would wish to join my class?" he asked, and they all looked between each other.

Hanneman rose, scratching the back of his head. "I understand that this is difficult for you all, but you must remember that your safety is our primary objective. I would not want any of you to spend your time here afraid of anyone or anything, nor would I want you to allow yourself to fall to harm." he said.

"Your Professor might not be human, but he still feels. I am sure that you all avoiding him is very upsetting. Perhaps you should all try to speak to him privately. I am sure that he would make time for you. You are all important to him, as my students are to me." he said, bowing lightly before departing.

With the sun low in the sky, Cetanu stared up at the flaming expanse above him, inhaling. He had spent all day in the forest, practicing his magick. He had expended an immense amount of energy, and all he wanted was to head back to the Monastery. Right now, he just didn't want to be alone anymore, this odd desire to have somebody at least around him rather pleasant.

As he entered the gates before the moon rose, he absentmindedly wandered towards the classroom, only to find Dimitri and Dedue staring at his desk. "Isn't it a bit late, Dimitri?" he asked, and the prince looked to him.

And he smiled. It was a weak action, but it was genuine. He walked over to Cetanu, who seemed rather surprised at the odd body language coming from the Prince. "Ingrid… she asked Manuela to join the Black Eagles." he said, and Cetanu closed his eyes.

He sighed. He had liked Ingrid, and felt that Asmodeus' training would make her a rather strong warrior. He seldom spoke to her alone, but their conversations were always happy, filled with tales of valiant warriors and her desires to be a knight.

"I see. Well… we'll get through it." he said, and Dimitri looked to him. There was an odd look in his eyes. It was somewhere between sadness and anger, and Cetanu was able to understand it. He smiled, chuckling as he shook his head.

"I'm going to miss her too, Dimitri. But, she's still one of us. When we all depart from this Academy, she will return to Faerghus, same as you. You can still be friends with her." he said, and Dimitri nodded, the anger fading from his face, only the deflated sadness remaining.

"Dimitri, I am forever grateful that you still wish to be my student, even when I gave you a way out. You mustn't worry about anything besides training tomorrow. Go get some rest, before I send Ashe after you." he said teasingly, Dimitri chuckling before smiling weakly.

"Thank you, Professor. It means a lot to hear that." he said, and he nodded, watching the blonde royal walk off in a slightly better mood. Cetanu looked to Dedue, who hadn't moved or said anything. "You can tell me what's on your mind, Dedue."

"I think that you are a danger to His Highness." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "That I am. However, I have no intention of being said danger. I am a teacher, and I have grown rather attached to that role." he said, and Dedue nodded. "I understand that. I.. I too appreciate your tutelage. However, whatever you did to Ashe can be done to His Highness, and I feel that makes you a threat to him." he said, and Cetanu began to laugh.

"We should honestly spend more time together. You never fail to make me laugh." he said, shaking his head and looking towards Dimitri's direction. "I would never Embrace him. He's too important to his country and the people who care about him. I wouldn't ever think of it." he said, and Dedue nodded. "As long as you keep your word, that is enough for me." he said, departing with a slight smile on his face.

Cetanu moved to the Dining Hall, wondering if there was anything still warm worth eating, finding Mercedes and Annette, who were rather upset. "Is everyone going to be moping?" he asked, the two of them looking to him.

He sat next to them, his appetite forgotten. "Are you two dealing with it alright?" he asked, and they looked to each other. "Ingrid was our friend, Professor. We just don't know why she'd do that." Mercedes said, and Cetanu nodded.

"She was afraid. She didn't know if an open wound would set us off, or if Ashe can control himself. I'm not mad at her." he said, and the girls smile. "I just wish that you could have convinced her that everything's okay." Annette said, and Cetanu shrugged. "Some people are too convinced by their own ideas to listen to others. If she was scared enough to turn on all of us for her safety, than there was nothing that you could do. It is regrettable, but I suppose that you two can handle your fear better."

The two of them looked to each other. "We're not afraid of you, Professor." Mercedes said, and Cetanu rose a brow. He blinked, his eyes shifting to their odd feline appearance, the girls gasping at his pupils, which narrowed to diamond shaped slits. He laughed at them, rising and nodding to the pair. "You two make sure you get some rest. I expect to see you in class tomorrow." he said, glad to receive two smiles in response.

Moving on from the Dining Hall, Cetanu headed through a courtyard where some met their friends for tea, a garden filled with beautiful flowers meant to uplift the spirit. It was a place Cetanu seldom spent time in, but a place that was pleasant none the less. Of course, the garden's serene magickal energies made him feel incredibly at ease.

And he saw Sylvain sitting at one of the table, staring off into space. Shockingly enough, there was no girl with him, and he wasn't smiling in an attempt to get into her pants only to move onto the next girl later in the day.

"Did all the girls turn you down?" he asked, and Sylvain blinked, looking to Cetanu. The red haired noble must have realized that this was the first time they've been alone since Cetanu 'changed', because he immediately began looking for an escape route.

Cetanu wasn't happy with this. He sighed as he sat, looking at Sylvain with a weak smile. "I do wish you wouldn't be afraid of me. I would never turn on you, especially unprovoked." he said, and Sylvain chuckled. "Sorry, it's just really weird to me, you know?" he asked.

Cetanu nodded. "I understand how you feel, Sylvain. It's been mostly a hassle for me. I have to keep it a secret, treat Ashe like a child because I turned him, and most importantly, deal with how everyone I tell responds." he said, and Sylvain sighed.

"I know this must be hard for you, but it's something that I can't really get over so quickly. Especially because I.. because we lost her today." he said, and Cetanu smiled. It was a sympathetic act. He finally understood Sylvain a little better. All of those flings, his flirtatious action, they were all a farce. He truly cared about Ingrid, and now that she was gone, he felt even more conflicted.

"She's still the same person, but she's just in a different class, Sylvain. You should keep trying if you care about her that much. You might fail, but you should try just enough to get your point across. Don't keep trying to beat a dead horse, or you'll spite yourself." he said, and Sylvain looked to him.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and Cetanu chuckled. "Beelzebub is just like you, you know. He had a girl he fell madly in love with, and she refused his affections so much he grew to dislike women and viewed himself as better than the women who wouldn't give him attention. It was the thing that turned him from a simple man into the person Adrestians call the Demon Lord of Pride. Don't be like that." he said, and Sylvain chuckled.

"I appreciate you looking out for me, Professor. I'm glad I chose to stick around. Nobody gets me like you do." he said, and Cetanu chuckled. "I'm no different than you, Sylvain. I just hope that you'll be well rested for class tomorrow." he said, patting his student on the shoulder before he moved on.

Heading to the training grounds, Cetanu glanced up at the sky. The moon was high, half full and shinning brightly. Ever since Zanado, the mercenary found himself staring at the moon here and there. It was as if the celestial body had a spell on him. He wondered if Ashe felt the same.

And, much as Cetanu had predicted, Felix was standing in the training grounds. He swung his sword at air, his uniform covered in sweat and sticking to his body. He could see the mixed emotions on his most troublesome student.

Unlike the other seven Lions, Cetanu always trained with Felix personally. His fellow mercenaries never really vibed with Felix, who seemed argumentative and combative at everything. It was something that Cetanu had an easier time with, as he kept it as professional as possible.

Felix noticed Cetanu, turning to him and frowning. "What do you want?" he asked, and Cetanu simply stared. "Are you mad?" he asked, and Felix narrowed his eyes. "One of the few people I trust just turned on me because she's afraid of you being a monster." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "Stupid question." he noted, amused.

"Are you going to go with her?" he asked, and Felix raised his blade. He pressed it against Cetanu's collarbone, the mercenary remaining unphased and emotionless. "I know you being a monster is what made her run, but the boar calling her a coward was uncalled for. Don't make the same mistake he did." he said, and Cetanu found this rather interesting.

He could always tell that Dimitri had a temper, and a mean streak. From the way Felix was talking, it seemed like Dimitri had a tantrum when Ingrid left the class. It was understandable, as he lost a friend. "Is it really about you and Dimitri?" he asked, and Felix pressed the blade against his collarbone with more pressure.

"It matters not. All that matters is that one of my few… friends, is now going to be one of those Adrestian Eagle bastards." he said, and Cetanu glanced down to the blade, before looking back to Felix.

"Do you want to kill me and Ashe?" he asked, and Felix blinked, looking to the blade himself and stepping back. Cetanu could tell that he was going through a lot. "Unfortunately, because of the specific type of 'monster' we are, you can't succeed unless you take our heads off with a flaming sword. And well… I'm not sure that would be enough." he said, and Felix grit his teeth.

"If you wish, I will allow you to take your frustrations out on me. Please, attack me with all of the pent up emotion yearning to be released." he said, and Felix grit his teeth. "You monsters think everything is so simple, don't you!?" he roared, advancing.

He jabbed forward, his blade tearing through Cetanu's garb and piercing his abdomen. The blade slide through his flesh like a knife through butter, passing through whatever organs or muscle it came into contact with. Felix released the blade inn shock, the blood beginning to pour from Cetanu's wound.

The mercenary looked down to the blade sticking through his abdomen. He sighed, able to ignore the pain he felt, looking to Felix. "Is that all?" he asked, and the swordsman looked to his teacher. Cetanu frowned, seeming disappointed with Felix's lack of emotion.

"I skew your view of reality and scare your friend into changing classes and possibly lifelong allegiances and all you have is a single jab at my stomach? I expected more." he said, reaching down and pulling the blade from his abdomen, the wound closing with sheer force of will. Cetanu jabbed the blade into the ground, looking at his blood as it coated the ground.

When he looked back to Felix, his emotions shifted to that of surprise. Because, overwhelmed by everything, Felix had broken down, and begun to cry. In all of their time together, through strict training sessions, stories of Felix's deceased brother, or even Felix's own rebellion against his father, he'd never shed a single tear. Cetanu sighed, walking over to Felix and embracing him.

Despite their similar height, Felix's conflicted emotions caused him to almost curl up in Cetanu's arms. "I understand that the passed day or two have been very confusing. Losing a friend, learning about monsters, being held by one. It's a lot. Please Felix, take your time. I am here, my brothers are here for you, and so are the rest of the Lions." he said, and Felix nodded against Cetanu's chest.

This feeling, this emotion he felt while embracing someone and comforting them in a time of need, was pleasant. Cetanu, for all of his vile monikers and existence as a 'Demon', liked comforting people. He ran a hand down Felix's back, ignoring the sweat coating the glove he normally wore. "Go take a bath and rest. You need your energy for tomorrow." he said, and Felix nodded, walking weakly over to his sword.

"Professor… don't… don't tell anyone about this, alright?" he asked, the most unusually soft, child like thing he'd ever done. Cetanu smiled, nodding to him and watching him depart. He remained in the training ground for a moment, staring at the small pool of his blood on the ground.

Heading back to his room, Cetanu noticed another mental block, Sothis avoiding him as much as anyone else had been before sunset. He found it rather odd, and made a note to tease the pointed eared girl when they next spoke.

Heading close to his room, he noticed that Ashe was sat outside his door, as if waiting for him. His silver haired student looked to him and smiled. "I've been looking for you." he said, and Cetanu rose a brow. "I had to speak to the others. You heard about Ingrid, right?" he asked, and Ashe nodded.

"Yeah. It hurt to hear, because I know it was my fault that she left." he said, and Cetanu shook his head. "It was her own fault. She let a temporary fear be more important to her than our almost half a year together. It's her choice to make Ashe. Not ours." he said, and Ashe nodded, wishing he didn't have to hear that.

"What if she tells people about us?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "Relax. I've got that covered. More importantly, did you get Bernadetta on board with our plan?" he asked, and Ashe nodded. "She said that she'd be willing to play along. She thinks Dimitri is a little scary, but anything to get away from the Eagles." he said, and Cetanu chuckled.

He was glad. He knew that it was his fault that the girl was suffering such harassment, and he figured that the faux marriage to Dimitri would buy them time to find a more permanent solution. Cetanu worried about what that was, but he chose to worry about it later.

"What do you think about being a… Fleshcrafter, Ashe? Do you feel like you're a monster that can't even control yourself?" he asked, and Ashe looked to the ground. He shook his head. "I… I can control myself. It's just that there's like… a voice in my head. It tells me to feed all the time, and sometimes I want to listen." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "It's the same with me Ashe. You'll never be able to silence it, but at least keep yourself in check." he said.

Ashe sighed. "How am I supposed to do that? How much is too much?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "You feed more than me, so I can't hazard a guess. I'd recommend at least twice a weak, preferably from the same source. Perhaps you can make use of that Ignatz boy from before. Or… you could feed from Bernadetta." he said, and Ashe blinked.

"I can't do that! If we're putting on this show to protect her, I can't just turn her into food." he said, and Cetanu shrugged. "What about Dimitri? You've fed from him before, and he seems to be the most understanding of our friends." he said, and Ashe looked to the ground. He sighed. This was the only thing he hated.

"You aren't eating people, Ashe. You're simply draining a little blood. At the worst, they'll pass out and be a little lightheaded when they wake up. You aren't frying them up with vegetables or anything." he said, and Ashe laughed.

"Thank you Professor. This is… hard, but I'm glad I have you." he said, glancing to his repaired right arm. Cetanu nodded. "Of course. Now let me get a little rest before we get to class tomorrow." he said, and Ashe nodded, bowing lightly before heading off.


	19. Ezekiel 39:19

Edelgard found this rather hard to believe. She sat in the Dining Hall, Hubert at her side as always, looking over documents. They were written in the most immaculate handwriting she'd ever seen, and they claimed that, in order to build a friendship, that Count Varley had betrothed his daughter, Bernadetta, to the Crown Prince of Faerghus.

"What should we do with this information, Lady Edelgard?" Hubert asked, and she furrowed her brow. This couldn't be real, could it? The documents appeared immaculate, and everything from the spacing of the words to the signatures and Crests stamped on it seemed legit. "Figure out if this is fake. Send a messenger to Count Varley." she said, and he nodded.

"What about our other endeavor? It is clear that Bernadetta is withholding information pertaining to the Professor of the Blue Lions." he inquired, and she shook her head. "We'll have to lay off until we can discern the legitimacy of these documents. Just… make sure we can keep an eye on her." he said, and Hubert nodded, off to comply with his Master's bidding.

Edelgard found everything incredibly suspicious. First, Professor Cetanu returns and magickally cures not only a deathly illness, but mends a missing arm. Then, Bernadetta is sworn to silence after witnessing… something. And now, with the Sword of the Creator on his hip, Cetanu seemed to be unstoppable. She clenched her fists, remembering her humiliating defeat at the mock battle.

The other thing that disturbed her was that one of his own students, Ingrid of House Galatea, had joined the Black Eagles out of what appeared to be fear. She witnessed something in the Holy Tomb, and it was too much for her. Edelgard would have to find out exactly what that was.

With the sun beginning it's descent in the sky, and the day of training drills and a lesson into the history of varying small villages, as told by Cetanu from his time traveling to them, behind them, the Lions chose to relax. To go along with their ruse, Bernadetta strolled about aimlessly, following Dimitri without a word.

"You don't have to seem so uncomfortable around me, Bernadetta. I promise you that I'm not that bad." Dimitri said, and Bernadetta looked to his flawless skin and smiling face. She wondered if this was infact real. Even if it was a ruse, a lie, a falsehood, she was spending time with a Prince. She felt like she didn't really deserve this, and she wished that she could enjoy it more.

"S-s-sorry. I'm just… not used to attention." she said, and Dimitri nodded. "That's alright. I am here to listen you know. I'm sure that I can at least hold a conversation with you." he said, the two sitting down at the dining hall.

"It's just… I'm really scared that this won't work. Hubert and Edelgard aren't stupid! They'll find out and then..." she trailed off, quivering with her hands balled in her lap. Dimitri leaned over the table and placed a soft hand on the girl's small shoulder. She blinked, looking to Dimitri.

"I promise that I'll do whatever I can to keep you safe. Edelgard isn't going to be hurting anyone." he said, and his sincere tone, his determined eyes and slightly furrowed brow made her believe him. She whimpered, nodding slightly. "I just wish I wouldn't have gotten put into this mess." she said, and Dimitri chuckled.

"I'm sure neither Ashe or the Professor intended it as such." he said, and she looked to him. Wait a second… "You… you know?" she asked, and he nodded. Dimitri tilted his head, pulling the collar of his elaborate black and blue uniform down, showing Bernadetta a pair of healed bitemarks on his neck. Bernadetta gasped.

"Oh my god… Did… did it hurt?" she asked, and he shook his head. Dimitri was glad to get the girl engaged in some kind of conversation, as she was rather reserved. "Not at all. It was a blur for me, really. One second I was talking to Ashe and the next he… well, I'm sure you know the rest." he said, a light red dusting of color crossing his face.

Bernadetta nodded. "It's so weird to watch. It's like he's… seducing people. I'm sure he's not like that so how is he so good at it?" she asked, and Dimitri furrowed his brow. How was his fellow Kingdom warrior s good at it? Dimitri tried to push it out of his mind, but he could still remember Ashe sitting on his lap and biting his neck.

"M-maybe it's something that come's with the territory." Dimitri said, coughing awkwardly after jumbling his words. Bernadetta was surprised at this. Even Dimitri, the stalwart warrior Prince of Faerghus, could be reduced to a stuttering, blushing mess by something like this.

"Getting along I hope?" they heard, seeing Cetanu walk by, waving to him, the former mercenary engaged in a conversation with Samyaza. It was odd to see the demon with only Samyaza. Dimitri didn't like it, but Bernadetta found it incredibly frightening that he was able to walk about in broad daylight so causally.

"You know… you aren't the only one." Bernadetta said to catch Dimitri's attention. She pushed her fluffy hair away from her ears and neck, a pair of larger bite marks on her neck. "Those are… big." he said, and Bernadetta nodded.

"He scares me. I don't understand why he's trying to help me avoid Edelgard after he..." she trailed off. Dimitri wished he had an answer, but he found it incredibly hard to get a read on Cetanu anymore. No matter how much more expressive he grew, in the end, he was still the same poker faced monster that scared him that night so long ago.

"What's your endgame here, Cet?" Samyaza asked as the pair walked the halls with no clear destination. Cetanu looked to Samyaza. Amongst all of his brothers in arms, Samyaza was always the one that saw through him. Even Abaddon chose to keep his distance when it came to some things. Not the Wyvern Lord. His serpentine features didn't help his case either. Cetanu sighed.

"I want to see if simply feeding from someone has any adverse physical effects. You see, neither Dimitri or Bernadetta have shown any changes from us feeding. However, I have experienced a change from the feeding." he said, and Samyaza rose a brow.

Cetanu held up his hand, a familiar red glow that all of the mercenaries knew. It was one of the signs of their elite, a small spell that manifests the user's crest, like a magickal flying of a flag. Samyaza frowned when he looked to Cetanu's hand.

Because, in the center of the spell was the Crest of Flames. However, there was something else. There were two Crests orbiting Cetanu's natural born Crest. The Crest of Indech, and the Crest of Macuil. Samyaza knew one thing about both of those Crests.

"Those are the Crests of the people you've fed from." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "If Ashe has the same ability to manifest a Crest by feeding, than he'd have the Crest of Flames and the Crest of Bladdiyd. I'm just studying things Samyaza." he said, and the Wyvern Lord frowned.

"That girl is very vulnerable and weak. I just think you're exploiting her to have another source of Crest bearing blood now that Ingrid fled from you." he said, and Cetanu glanced to the floor. How much of what Samyaza said was true. "Samyaza, what are your goals? You seem rather invested in Bernadetta." he asked, and the serpentine man frowned, scoffing.

"I just want to protect her from that Hubert runt. House Vestra is a despicable cult of cuckolds that live and die at the whims of the Emperor." he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. Samyaza didn't talk to him much, but he could tell that there was some unfinished business there. "Just do me a favor and play it cool for a while. If Hubert becomes too much of a problem to any of us, I'll let you know." he said, and the man sighed, shaking his head and scratching his hair.

"Whatever. I just don't want to see this blow up in your face, Cetanu. Be cool about it." he said, and the ebon merc nodded as his friend walked off. Samyaza was an odd one, like most of the 'Sins', but Cetanu understood him to a degree. No matter how evil he looked, he still had a good heart.

Later, with the sky painted with stars, Ashe remained at the training ground, practicing everything he'd been taught by Cetanu. He didn't feed today, and he could tell that he was getting ever so slightly agitated. He needed to control himself better, and whether it was his age, inexperience or something else, it was quite the struggle.

"You alright Ashe?" he heard, turning to see Sylvain, who looked rather bummed. He likely lost a girl because of something that was likely his own fault.

_He's wide open, and healthy._

Ashe shook his head. He hated hearing that voice. It sounded like him, but he knew it was the Beast within him. The monster that fueled his very being. Ashe nodded to Sylvain, jabbing his sword into the ground, a habit he picked up training with Cetanu. "I am. Thanks. How are you faring?" he asked, and Sylvain sighed.

"Another girl got away. She was pretty mad cuz she saw me with another girl, but I never said that I was a one woman man." he said, something between a smirk and a frown on his face.

_He is pretty good looking… look at how flawless his skin is._

Ashe shook his head slightly. The voice in his head was indiscriminate. He remembered what he did to Dimitri, and he wouldn't have it happen again. "Most people are accustomed to something like that Sylvain. Not every woman wants to just be a passing fancy. Perhaps that's why you have so many love problems." he said.

Sylvain frowned, shaking his head. "I knew you wouldn't get it. She was just being unreasonable. We coulda talked it out but she decided to just slap me and yell at me." he said, and Ashe tried to bite his tongue. Sylvain did cause his own problems, but at the same time, perhaps there was a deeper reason for his actions.

_Don't you wonder what all of those girls are so enthralled with? I bet it's that sweet, sweet Crest bearing blood._

Ashe found it very hard to resist. Ever since he changed, Ashe was able to see things in a different light. And in the moonlight, the columns of the training grounds and the starlit sky as a backdrop, Ashe realized that Sylvain looked good. Very good. He glanced away from Ashe and scratched his head, and Ashe saw his neck. His mouth began to feel heavy, and the voice only laughed.

"Perhaps your problem comes from the fact that you're chasing random girls. Have you ever considered older women, or even other guys?" Ashe inquired, the words sounding unusual coming from his lips.

Sylvain looked to him, and it was a weird look. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?" he asked, and Ashe smiled. This was different however. It wasn't a reassuring smile that would set your fears to rest. This was a seductive smile. A foul look that belonged on a monster, not a man.

"I'm sure I'm okay. I don't think I can even come down with anything." he said, feeling his forehead and cracking his neck. Sylvain walked over to him and felt his forehead too, the Beast within in complete control.

Ashe grabbed Sylvain's wrist and pulled him closer, locking his arms around Sylvain's waist. "What about you? Did that girl hurt your feelings?" he asked, his tone light, playful. Sylvain nodded a little, usable to really move with Ashe's arms around his waist. "Come here… _let me make it better._" he said, and Sylvain simply allowed himself to be controlled. He leaned down and went to kiss Ashe, his mind clouded by whatever otherworldly pull Ashe had over him.

Ashe again grabbed a fistful of hair, his teeth latching onto Sylvain, who immediately snapped out of it and froze up. If he struggled, would his neck be torn open? He soon began to feel funny, like someone used a sleeping spell on him, his knees buckling as Ashe fed, one hand fisted in his hair and the other on the small of his back.

Ashe let Sylvain go, his classmate dropping to the ground dazed and confused. Ashe panted, his body feeling electric, his appetite sated. Sylvain passed out within seconds, and by time Ashe was back in full control of his body and mind, tears were already pouring down his face. He wasn't in control anymore. He needed help, and he needed it bad.


	20. Corinthians 13:11

Cetanu glanced to the sun, it's position in the sky rather high. It had been days since Ingrid had left the class, and everyone was beginning to get a bit better. Most of their spirits had picked up, partially due to how lax Cetanu had been with their assignments and training. He found it rather hard to keep up his normally intense training when they weren't all there.

One thing that he took note of specifically, was his progeny. Ashe had been hard to control, as he had learned that the boy had fed from Sylvain as well. He wondered if there was something that was causing his insatiable hunger, and he began to think about to everything he'd learned about his people.

He remembered a conversation with his father pertaining to the blue dagger that he always wore. The artifact, which was created by a spell Cetanu learned, passed down from his Mother, was made of the soil of his birthplace supposedly. He didn't know where that was, but he knew for a fact that while he always carried around such an artifact, Ashe did not.

Perhaps that was the answer. Ashe's appetite was caused by a lack of a sentimental anchor. He knew that since they were monsters that manipulated the flesh, that all of that foul, diabolical energy would need something to stabilize it. Perhaps that artifact from one's birthplace or homeland was what stopped Cetanu from feeding as much as Ashe had.

Cetanu had only fed from Bernadetta and Asmodeus. In the weeks, or was it a whole month? He shook his head. Since he had awoken his inhuman ability and reformed himself as a creature that could emote, he had only fed twice, while Ashe had fed four times now. And to add to it, each time he'd fed from someone with a different Crest. First from Cetanu, who had the Crest of the Goddess. Then Dimitri, who had the Crest of the Grim Dragon, one of the three strongest children of the Goddess.

And now Sylvain, who had the Crest of Gautier. He had managed, through sheer force of will, to resist feeding from Bernadetta, and this made Cetanu tilt his head. Was there anything in common with his other two meals? He mused it over as he headed for Ashe's quarters. He needed to do something before Ashe hurt someone outside of the class.

As he walked, he realized the similarities between Dimitri and Sylvain. Both were Crest bearing nobles. Both specialized in the lance, both were from Faerghus, and both were handsome, confident fellows that earned recognition from their peers, despite Sylvain's attention being normally negative. Although, he noted one other thing.

Even including the man that he fed from in the Tomb, all of Ashe's meals, Cetanu himself included, were around his age, and they were also all larger males. It was as if his inner Beast was much like an Oghma Wolverine. A creature that lashed out defiantly against much larger predators.

Cetanu hesitated. He realized, almost unsettlingly, that he had completely forgotten about Ignatz. He was a larger male as well, but unlike Cetanu, Dimitri and Sylvain, Ignatz lacked outward confidence and a Crest, and wielded a bow. He grit his teeth.

Cetanu realized that he finally understood the Beast within his progeny, and he'd have to take steps to get him to understand it better himself. Every single person that Ashe fed from was male, taller than him, and within five or so years of age of him. He could tell that his visualization of an Oghma Wolverine was accurate. And it was an odd contrast to himself.

Cetanu's monstrous instinct, that he called his 'Inner Fiend', was much easier to control and far more picky. Infact, everyone Cetanu fed from had the Crest of one of the Four Saints, meaning that should he come across the Crests of Cethleann and Cichol, he might have cause to worry about his own monstrous instinct.

He knocked on his student's door, hearing a muffled approval of entry. When he did enter the room, he found himself raising a brow. Ashe sat on his bed, wearing nothing on his upper half, and Cetanu could see him crafting various markings. Into his own skin.

"Practicing?" he asked, and Ashe looked to Cetanu, and he could see the torture within those green orbs. He sat at the small desk and looked to his progeny. "Why am I doing this?" he asked, and the teacher had no choice but to attempt to enlighten his student.

"The self scarification is part of your Fleshcrafter identity. With the materials I've obtained from Edelgard, I learned that we may subconsciously alter our bodies to our subconscious view of 'perfection'. You can do away with it when you have a better mindset, of course." he mused, shaking his head.

"Regardless, I have more important matters to speak with you on. I think you should go to Rhea and demand Lonato's land and manor." he said, and Ashe blinked, his marked skin immediately returning to normal. "Why… why would I do that?" he asked, and Cetanu looked to him.

"Firstly, it's your right. Particularly because you defeated Lonato in single combat. Secondly, it will help throw Edelgard off. And finally, you'll be able to travel to the manor and see your siblings. I think I've figured out the reason you've been feeding so much, and I think Castle Gaspard might hold the key."

The duo stood in front of the Audience Chamber, and Ashe looked back to Cetanu. "Are you sure this will work?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Of course. I will remain in the background to help you. Worry not, Lord Ashe." he said with a smile, teasing his student as they entered the chamber.

When they entered, Cetanu stood off to the side against a pillar, watching Ashe as he walked up to the Archbishop and her Adviser, who were interrupted mid-conversation. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" Seteth asked. Ashe inhaled.

He leveled his most confident, stern gaze on the two green haired leaders. "I want Gaspard Territory. I know you have control of it right now, and I want it back." he said, and they both faltered, shocked looks crossing over their faces.

"With all due respect, because you were adopted, the land is not yours to claim, and even if you did have a claim, you are far too young to rule even a village much less the whole of Gaspard territory." Seteth said, and Ashe nodded.

He was incredibly nervous right now, but if he could cure himself of this ravenous feeding frenzy, he'd try whatever Cetanu suggested. "Ancient Faerghus tradition states that if a son, or a rival, defeats the Lord in single combat, they take his lands." he said, and Seteth narrowed his eyes.

"Are you expecting us to believe that you defeated Lord Lonato, an experienced, fully armored Paladin, in single combat?" he asked, and Ashe nodded. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think it was the right thing to do. I killed Lonato, and I have to fix the land, and help the people he left behind." he said.

Rhea smiled. "While I do commend your determination and resolve, is there any proof that you managed to defeat Lonato in single combat?" she asked, and Ashe nodded. He gestured to Cetanu, who also nodded his head. "I saw it myself. Kicked the old man in the chin hard enough to rattle his brain and snap his brain stem. Lonato was dead before he hit the ground." Cetanu said.

Seteth grit his teeth. With there being a witness with detailed description, they couldn't really refuse. He looked to Ashe, who dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "I promise that I will remain loyal to the Church. I just wish to take over that which Lonato left behind and help my people live in peace. These are the soldiers and townsfolk that made me what I am today." he said, and Rhea hummed, as if pondering it.

When Ashe rose back to his feet, he leveled that gaze on them again. "I also wish to rename the House. Since House Gaspard was disgraced by my father's actions, and I am from a different bloodline." he said, and rhea narrowed her eyes. "What would you change it to?" she inquired.

"House Formorian. I would also like to request that much like the Lord of House Vestra is called the 'Marquis', and the Lord of House Gautier is called the 'Margrave', that the Lord of House Formorian is called the 'Balor'." he said, and Rhea narrowed her eyes. "Why that name specifically?" she asked, and Ashe inhaled.

Cetanu watched Ashe shrug, and it was an odd motion, likely something he picked up feeding from Sylvain, the older demon noticing that they picked up traits from whoever they fed from. For Cetanu, this was much less severe, since he had been able to remain celibate despite feeding from a man like Asmodeus.

"I read it in a fairy tale once. It told the tale about A king who ruled with his own power. Since my house lacks a Crest, I figured a strong name would hopefully garner me some notice." he said, almost jokingly. Cetanu found the traits he picked up from Sylvain rather amusing, and wondered how long they'd last.

Seteth frowned. "Say we do grant this ridiculous request. What would you do about Gaspard territory until you are old enough, and worthy of ascending to the throne of the land?" he asked, and Ashe looked to him. "I had a lot of time to think about that, and I came to a conclusion." he said.

"I would place someone there in my stead, as a temporary Lord until I feel ready to accept the position. Me, the man of my choosing, and my mentor, Professor Cetanu, would travel to Castle Gaspard and get things in order before returning in time for the next moon's mission. Is that acceptable?" he asked, and Rhea narrowed her eyes.

She cast her glance beyond him, to where the Professor in question stood watching, looking rather amused. Something was odd about this whole situation, and the Archbishop decided that she'd need to eventually get some kind of information out of the blue haired mercenary. "This request seems feasible. As long as you have pledged your loyalty to us, and maintain peace in your land, I see no reason to refuse." she said.

"You did pretty good." Cetanu said, and Ashe exhaled loudly, as if he just got a huge weight off of his shoulders. "I was so nervous. How do you talk to them without getting so flustered?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "It's simple really. I put up with it until the day comes when I can finally cross blades with Rhea. Seteth as well, but moreso the Archbishop." he mused, the duo coming upon the Dining Hall, seeing an odd sight.

On one end of the room was the Black Eagles and Ingrid, sitting and enjoying a meal together, but on the other side of the room were the Blue Lions with Bernadetta. Over the past couple of days, since revealing that both of them had been bitten, the Prince and his small purple archer had grown closer. Cetanu found himself smiling.

He noticed that the eyes in the Dining Hall passed to him and Ashe, most people still curious how the mysterious professor was able to regrow an arm. They watched the duo walk over to a table near the Blue Lions, where the feared 'Sins' of Jeralt's Mercenaries sat in a group.

"I need a couple of favors." Cetanu asked, and his brothers looked to him, rather surprised. He didn't often ask them for anything in any fashion. "What is it, Tanu?" Asmodeus asked, finding it more interesting than anyone.

"I just got a… mission, of sorts, from Rhea, and I need you guys to make sure that my students keep up on their training and academic learning. Would you mind going back to your old job, Abaddon?" he asked, and the emerald eyed archer shook his head.

"It's fine. We all get along now anyway. Most of your brats would make fine mercs, Cetanu. I'm glad to see that you finally found people to be yourself around." he said, and Cetanu bowed his head respectfully.

He looked to Samyaza, who seemed, as normal, completely out of it, and not interested in the slightest. "Samyaza, would you mind accompanying us on our mission? I'd need you to gather all of your Wyvern Riders and their supplies. It's gonna be a long trip." he said, and the Lord of Sloth sighed.

"Where to?" he asked, rising from his seat, scratching the back of his head as he chanced a glance across the room at Hubert, who he wasn't the biggest fan of. Cetanu chuckled. "Gaspard territory. Me, you and Ashe are heading their to clean the Castle and such up." he said, and the Wyvern Lord sighed, shaking his head as he followed the black garbed mercenary as he walked over to the table of his students, who were listening to the conversation.

He noticed that Sylvain and Bernadetta were slightly nervous at the sight of him and Ashe. He offered them a soft smile, glancing to his progeny before back to the rest of his students. "We'll be back. Behave for Abaddon, and make sure to keep up on your training, alright?" he asked, and he received a few nods.

He looked to Sylvain specifically. "And Sylvain, you might want to talk to Dimitri and Bernadetta about that little… nightmare you had. They can relate." he said, smiling as he slapped the table before walking away. Ashe looked to his sire.

"Bernadetta, Professor?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded as the three walked the halls of Garreg Mach. "You see, unlike you, the voice in our heads, the evil monster that has you oddly seducing and feeding at an alarming rate, mine is much pickier and calmer." he said, and Ashe realized that Cetanu did have a point.

In the last week or so, he'd fed almost three times as much as Cetanu had. "You see, there are plenty of similarities between everyone you've fed from. They all have two or three syllables in their first and or last names, totaling four or five. All are taller than you, around your age, male, good looking if I may flatter myself." he said jokingly.

"However, the only thing the people I've fed from, Asmodeus and Bernadetta, have in common is that they have the Crests of the Four Saints. So while your 'Inner Fiend' is like an Oghma Wolverine, a beast that lashes out against larger animals to prove itself, mine is more like a purveyor of exquisite spirits. Calm, calculating, and picky." he said.

Ashe got one thing from this. He should have tried speaking to his Professor sooner, because the older demon had been able to discern multiple things about the monstrous voice within him without much difficulty, while Ashe struggled with the fear of lashing out at everyone.

What Samyaza got from this was that Cetanu had either lost his mind, comparing the monstrous, blood drinking instinct he had to a wine taster. Or, he was very thorough, thinking up the fact that their… 'meals' had similar numbers of syllables in their names, something that rung true for even Cetanu's choices of sustenance.

"How long with it take before we get back?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged, looking to his almost serpentine brother. "We should be able to arrive and leave and get back here within two weeks hopefully. Although… you won't be coming back." he said, and Samyaza narrowed his eyes.

"What the fuck does that mean?" he asked, and Cetanu looked to his brother, the trio coming up on the quarters for the Knights of Seiros, for Samyaza to gather his belongings and his men.

"You see, Ashe wanted his lands, but he needed a… guardian until he was rightfully able and mentally willing to take over." he said, and Samyaza narrowed his eyes before blinking. His jaw began to go slack. "You gotta be fucking kidding me." he said, and Cetanu found himself chuckling.

"Not at all. For the next year or so, you'll be Balor Samyaza Crowley, acting Lord of House Formorian."


	21. Psalm 19:9

With most of their things gathered early into the next day, Cetanu stood by the gates of the Monastery, waiting for Ashe and Samyaza. He knew that his friend would be here shortly, as despite his name being 'The Lord Of Sloth', he was a very direct, and punctual person. However, he ever so slightly worried about Ashe. Cetanu had said something to him, and he briefly wondered if it was a mistake.

'If you want to feed, do it before we leave, because you won't have a chance to feed until we get back in however many days or weeks.' he had said, something that he wondered about the repercussions of. Would his progeny take his advice, or would he try to hold back?

And for that end, why was it that Cetanu himself wasn't hungry? He was stronger, older, and he was a direct descendant of the first, and oldest Blood Demon. He assumed that all of these factors would cause him to be more ravenous than Ashe, but he'd only fed twice in all this time. It was peculiar.

"Why would we need to eat so much?" Cetanu heard, hesitating when he recognized that voice. It was the monstrous manifestation of his emotions, the embodiment of his 'Inner Fiend'. He inhaled, seeing a few of Samyaza's soldiers leading their wyverns towards the gates.

"Can you tell me what the difference between you and Ashe's…. 'Beasts', are?" he asked, and the voice in his head laughed. He wondered briefly if this odd voice in his mind was the reason he hadn't heard much from Sothis in the past week or so. Perhaps they were fighting over who got to make Cetanu think he's insane.

"Well, you see, I don't know." he said, laughing in between his sentences. "He's pretty crazy, that kid. It makes me wonder what we'd be like without that damn butterknife on your hip." he said, and Cetanu could hear a spot of anger in the voice.

Perhaps this creature wished to be unleashed, much like Ashe's 'Beast'. Cetanu glanced to the blue dagger he carried on his hip, glad that he had it for once. It wasn't just something he wore at nearly all times, it had sentimental value to him, something he realized was important now that he was a monster.

He glanced up, noticing Samyaza leading his mount through the marketplace, earning worried gazes from the vendors opening their stalls for the day. Because while most of Samyaza's men, well trained Wyvern Riders called 'Grigoi', rode slightly oversized Fodlan Wyverns, known as 'Nephilim', their leader was different.

Because the creature that Samyaza had raised from an egg and attained his infamy with was slightly larger than the 'Nephilim', and unlike all other Wyverns seen in Fodlan, had four blue, feathered wings like a bird, or an angel. It's scales were also a blue color, it's head much more smooth and rounded than the Nephilim.

It's said that this beast's oddly serene, serpentine appearance is due to the fact that it was a descendant of a great Dragon, his short front legs making it impossible to even call the creature a Wyvern at all. This creature was truly a Dragon, and it's name was Azazel.

"I've been wondering where Azazel's been." Cetanu said, and Samyaza looked to the creature, running a hand along it's shoulder, it's benevolent aura rather surprising given it's appearance. "He's been out exploring. He doesn't like being cooped up." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

He had said that he didn't have much experience riding pegasi, but he was fully accustomed to Wyverns and even Azazel, who he'd worked with on a mission or two. Infact, during his solo missions, he'd flown across the ocean on the back of this oddly angelic dragon. "He'll have a larger area to explore soon enough." he said, and the serpentine man sighed.

Samyaza leveled his gaze on Cetanu. He knew he wasn't intimidating, being barely taller than Cetanu and having thin, pinstraight black hair and angular features. He almost look like a snake himself sometimes. "Why should I agree to this?" he asked, and Cetanu rose a brow. "Think of the political aspect of it." he mused, and his brother rose a brow.

Cetanu, a literal monster that was called 'The Demon Lord of Wrath', was the least political person he'd ever met. Even Asmodeus and Beelzebub had more experience thinking things through than the youngest of their group. "You? Political?" he asked, and the demon nodded, glancing away as he looked for his progeny, who was running late.

"If you hold the status of a Lord, even temporarily, you'll have more authority and resources to look into House Vestra, and at the same time, if you remain under the radar, you can feign innocence and ignorance. This also gives you a status so that they can't touch you, and also gives Jeralt's Mercenaries a place to stay and cause to fight for should things go awry." he said, and Samyaza sighed.

He hated to admit it, but he was rather impressed. Cetanu had thought this through thoroughly, and he realized that this was the best course of action. There was always a tense air politically in Fodlan, and no matter how strong the Church claimed to be, if it really came down to it, they'd be crushed by the Empire. And the Sins couldn't have that.

When Ashe arrived, he stared in awe at Azazel, who looked to him with it's crimson gaze, almost bowing to him as he lowered his long neck. "You have a dragon?" he asked, and Samyaza looked to him. "Raised him myself. All of the big Wyverns you see my men riding are actually his hatchlings. His genes aren't the strongest though, since none of them even look like the same kind of animal." he mused, and Ashe looked to the creature, who seemed rather serene and comfortable around him.

The voyage back to Gaspard territory was awe inspiring to Ashe. He watched a large number of huge Wyverns, at least two hundred, flying overhead casually, led by Samyaza and his four winged dragon. Ashe and Cetanu rode below them on horses, a man in a reinforced chariot behind them. He looked back to it, realizing that the chariot carried a large number of Wyvern eggs, and that Gaspard would essentially become a land of Wyvern Riders under the rule of the Demon Lord of Sloth.

He didn't mind this, because he wanted Gaspard to be a strong place, since it was on the border of the Empire by the Oghma Mountains. Huge, magickally mutated beasts and the ever so defiant Oghma Wolverine called that place home, along with many bandits and thieves. And then there was the fact that the Empire was directly to the south.

If war ever broke out across Fodlan, the Empire would be able to get to the western regions of the Kingdom only through those mountains and Gaspard behind them. Ashe was fully aware that in the event of civil war, that the only thing stopping the Empire from taking the entire western half of the Kingdom was him and his soldiers.

While this was a frightening prospect, he didn't seem the most bothered by it. It was likely because he'd drank from the confident Dimitri and then Sylvain, but he found a lot of his worries and fears to be much more childish than needed. He still held the same boyhood dream of being a great, honorable warrior, but all of his doubts and fears pertaining to that dream had all but vanished. Losing a limb will do that to you.

"Professor, why did you decide to come along? I could have just taken someone else." he asked, and Cetanu glanced to him. "Because I'm here to teach you as well. Have you noticed exactly how ravenous you've been? Me, Ignatz, Dimitri, the guy in the tomb and then Sylvain in such a short span is worrying. I'm bringing you here because I want to help you learn control." he said, and the green eyed demon blinked. "How can you do that?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged.

"I have a hunch about us. Since we are monsters that manipulate the physical form, our own included, I thought that maybe we'd need a personal effect or accessory that would be able to say…. Anchor us. Something with sentimental value from our homeland." he said, and Ashe blinked. Cetanu pulled the blue bladed dagger from his waist.

"This was made with soil from my birthplace, forged by me using a spell passed down from my mother. Because I carry this all the time, I seem to be in complete control of myself. You lack some kind of artifact from Gaspard territory on your person, so that's another reason that we've come. We have to essentially find and craft your own 'anchor'."

Later that day, the Black Eagles, now counting Ingrid amongst their number, rested at the Dining Hall. They had another boring, draining day with a substitute teacher since Manuela was again too hungover to do her job. However, the subject was something completely unrelated. "And you're sure of this?" Edelgard asked, the Eagles all rather surprised.

Ingrid nodded. She seemed somber, a bit deflated. She sighed as she looked back to her new classmates, who she was still struggling to get along with for the most part. "Professor Cetanu and Ashe left for Gaspard territory. A lot of the Kingdom natives from the Knights of Seiros seemed really surprised that a kid like Ashe would walk right up to Rhea and demand the lands." she explained. Hubert narrowed his visible golden eye.

"That would be impossible. He's not a legitimate heir, nor is he even of a societally accepted age to rule." he said, and Ingrid nodded. "I thought the same, but I saw a bunch of soldiers gathering their things for the trip. Apparently Lady Rhea allowed Ashe to appoint a steward of sorts, someone to rule in his stead until he chooses to ascend." she stated, and Edelgard frowned. "Exactly who could he have chosen? He doesn't have many friends in high places." she inquired, and Ingrid felt a chill run down her back.

"Well, based on the fact that I saw two hundred Wyverns fly out of here this morning on my way to class, I'd bet it was that creepy guy Professor Cetanu was friends with, Samyaza." she said, and Edelgard frowned.

If this was all true, and to be believed, then right on the border of the Kingdom and Empire to the west, the man in charge would be the continent's single greatest Wyvern Lord.

This was a problem because it was Samyaza, not any Wyvern rider. The reason he obtained the name 'Demon Lord of Sloth', wasn't because he was lazy, or stagnant. It was because he was able to end lives sitting on his living, breathing, draconic throne on high. He didn't even have to stand to commit atrocities.

Edelgard knew that she couldn't let this slide. She had to directly confront her problems, meaning that Bernadetta would have no choice but to talk. "Hubert, we have to make Bernadetta talk before they return." she said, and her squire nodded.

"I agree. Professor Cetanu is hiding something from us, and unless you can bring yourself to share it, Lady Ingrid, we have no choice but to try and force our answers out of him." he said, and the other Eagles found this worrisome.

"You sure you wanna go through all of that? Seems like a bother to me." Lindhardt said, and Edelgard folded her arms. "He managed to essentially reverse Ashe's condition. Cure poison too deep for a Crest to stop and repair a missing limb, Lindhardt. I must know how." she said, and he sighed.

"You must reconsider. If Ashe ascends to nobility thanks to Professor Cetanu's aid, then messing with him might cause political discourse. It wouldn't be a very wise or honorable course of action to harass a Professor." Ferdinand said.

He was slightly worried, as while he wanted to prove that he was superior to Edelgard, he couldn't do that from six feet under, struck down in a civil war by Edelgard's obsessive desire to pry into a mere mercenary turned teacher.

"He has something akin to a direct counter to death itself, Ferdinand. If he puts that into the service of Faerghus, then there's nothing stopping him from slaughtering our ranks with a horde of undead soldiers."

Ferdinand frowned. He didn't like her train of thought. It was too extreme, too radical for his belief. He'd have no choice but to try and get to Cetanu before she did, even if it meant putting his loyalty and honor on the line. He had to do it for the people he'd come to rule.

That night, as Bernadetta slept, she remained unaware of the outside world. With Hubert and Edelgard driven over the edge in fear that Gaspard territory would become a Wyvern filled land of warriors that could harm the Empire, they decided that tonight was the best time to get Bernadetta to speak.

A man walked through the Monastery, garbed in a black cloak and determined to achieve his goal. He was instructed to break into Bernadetta's room and essentially torture the answers out of her.

He was promised handsome payment and immunity, freedom to hide in the Empire from those who sought his arrest or death in the Alliance. He came upon the dorms, inhaling as he headed for the door he was told was her's.

"Took you long enough to get here." he heard, his hand moving away from the knob as he spun around. The man standing behind him was tall, at least six feet tall, perhaps taller, and he was rather muscular. He wore a kind of uniform, almost like the Officer's Academy uniform, but almost completely golden.

And instead of it having a hood or a tight collar like most students, this man's collar was brown, much like his eyes, and it was furred, almost like a mane. The man looked at him, his shaggy blond hair framing his angular jaw and resting on the furred collar.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked, and the man shrugged his broad shoulders. "I don't really got a name. Although, it feels nice to look down at one of you damn humans for once. Woulda never thought I'd see the day." he said, taking a step closer.

The cloaked assassin drew a short sword, a weapon with a sharp, slightly curved blade, and brandished it in front of the man. He looked to it and began to chuckle. "I've never seen a human get so scared of me before. This is actually pretty cool." he said, and the cloaked man stomped forward and jabbed him.

The man caught the blade in his hand, which had long, sharp claws, and snapped the blade in two, whistling. "Damn. Looks like Cetanu made me pretty strong." he said, looking to his own clawed hand. The man took a step back, as if to flee.

He was snatched up, grabbed by the throat and hoisted into the air. The man sighed, revealing a mouth of sharp teeth with long, heavy canines that looked completely inhuman. "What the hell are you!?" the man managed to gasp out, scratching and flailing in the huge man's grip.

"I'm just the black cat that crossed your path." he said, the man's flailing slowing down as the life was choked out of him second by second. He realized exactly what was happening. He was an assassin, a man who killed the innocent or the guilty indiscriminately.

He must have killed the wrong innocent, because it seemed like the Goddess herself sent some monstrous warrior of the heavens to strike him down for his transgressions. He begged in his final moments for forgiveness and pity, the huge man's grip sending his soul away to the Eternal Flames.

When the body hit the ground, lifeless, a sigh was heard. The huge man turned to see Abaddon, the Angel of the Abyss, approaching. He glanced down to the corpse, and he frowned. "Get rid of it. I don't want Edelgard to even think we had anything to do with it." he said, and the man sighed.

"You weren't this pushy when I was a little thing sitting on your shoulder." he said, and Abaddon looked to him with his emerald eye. "When you were just a tiny cat sitting on my shoulder, you couldn't talk or kill people. I have no idea how Cetanu managed to turn you into… this." he said, and the man shrugged as he picked the body up.

"Beats me. Bastard could've at least given me a name or something. Especially since I'm not 'Victor', the little black cat." he said, and Abaddon nodded. "You are essentially a grown man now. You can call yourself whatever you want. Just make sure that it's unique enough that Cetanu and I don't forget you." he said, and the man hummed, the duo carrying the body off into the night. "Well, he did talk to me while he… did whatever, so I got an idea of what to call myself." he mused. "I'm gonna call myself Victor Szlachta, works for me. But since you all got funny human names also, I think mine should be something like… 'Sabertoothed Angel' or something goofy." he said, causing the emerald eyed sniper to roll his eye.


	22. Romans 9:20

When they arrived at Castle Gaspard, it was in a shoddy state, to say the least. Abandoned by it's people, who were under the control of the Church, the castle had overgrown grass, untrimmed bushes, and the few visible windows were all filthy, covered in splattered insects and fingerprints. The surrounding houses were barely in better condition.

Ashe frowned, feeling incredibly sad at how the castle looked. He had spent a number of his years here, where it was a proud thing. He looked about, wondering what he should do first. Cetanu turned to Samyaza's men, who were all landing as Ashe contemplated.

"Samyaza, have the Grigoi clean up the smaller surrounding houses. We'll have to get the castle and surrounding buildings into good enough conditions for the men and their wyverns to live in." he said, and Samyaza nodded, turning to his men and beginning to bark out orders.

Ashe was snapped out of his trance by this, watching the serpentine man and his angelic dragon command men with a sense of determination, a sense of confidence. "How did he get the name 'Sloth'?" he asked, almost absentmindedly. Cetanu sighed. "Walk with me through the castle. I'll teach you more about us as I go." he said, and Ashe nodded.

When they began walking the halls, it was incredibly saddening, the castle looking almost ransacked. "What happened here?" he asked, and Cetanu frowned. "It seems that the Church officials put in charge of it either didn't do their job or took advantage of the fact that their bosses were hundreds of miles away." he mused, looking to his student. "Look for some small artifact of some kind that you can wear on you, so that we can make it your 'anchor'." he said, and Ashe nodded, his eyes scanning the walls and floors as Cetanu spoke.

"All of us are infamous, and Samyaza is no exception. His name, the 'Demon Lord of Sloth' and it's Kingdom and Alliances counterparts, all come from the fact that he sits on a dragon's back and does his job. He doesn't stand when he takes lives." he said, and Ashe realized that made sense.

"Beelzebub's is self explanatory. He's arrogant, almost criminally so, hence the association with 'Pride', same for Asmodeus and his 'Lust'. Lillith gets 'Gluttony' from the fact that she seems to always be around people who are injured, and references the term 'glutton for punishment'." He said, and they turned a corner, heading towards another hall, one that looked more designed for residence.

"Abaddon's comes from rich folk who believe he kills the rich out of jealousy, hence the 'Envy'. My father's stems from the fact that no matter how many jobs we completed, we always had room for a few more, hence his 'Greed'." he said, and Ashe looked to Cetanu as they entered a large room that the older demon surmised was Lonato's.

"What about you? Why do they call you 'Wrath'?" he asked, and Cetanu sighed. "Because I lacked mercy and empathy. They say that those that I killed were destroyed, victimized beyond recognition. It was as if an angry monster struck them down, hence my 'Wrath'." he said, and Ashe frowned as he looked through random drawers in the room.

"That makes everything sound so sad. I know it was hard for you to feel, but weren't you ever content? Enjoying yourself?" he asked, and Cetanu thought about it. He didn't often ponder himself before he awoke his emotions, but now he knew that he could put words on the odd nagging instincts and desires he had.

"Sadly, the only time I felt what I can now call 'enjoyment' or 'happiness', it was in combat. Since changing, I have found enjoyment in many things, but beforehand, it was primarily the thrill of battle that stirred me." he said, and Ashe frowned.

"Have you ever… been with anyone? Didn't that bring you any… enjoyment?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "Before I awoke my emotions, I merely partook in the act of fornication as a carnal urge. It wasn't the odd, sacred act of 'lovers' that many I knew spoke of it as. It was a form of stress relief that I assumed would be more pleasant if I could emote and feel." he said, and Ashe felt himself frown.

The more he heard about his sire, the more he felt sorry for him. He was a tortured soul, a man that was so imprisoned in his own flesh that he couldn't enjoy anything, or feel that same sense of being human that many could. That was when Ashe remembered that his sire was never human in the first place. This made him rather sad. Cetanu must have picked up on this, because he placed a hand on Ashe's shoulder.

"You don't need to look so glum. I'm different, and I'm better now. You and the Lions have helped me grow as a person and learn to understand my own emotions. I now understand human activities and actions such as seduction, academic study, the Crests and even mere conversation better. I am eternally grateful to you all for that."

"You know, by 'do as you please', this wasn't what I meant." Abaddon said, sitting at the Dining Hall with the Blue Lions, who were busy staring at their large guest. "Mr. Abaddon, who is this guy?" Annette asked, and he rolled his eye. "This is…." he trailed off, trying to find an appropriate answer.

The large man smiled, showing off a pair of massive canines that seemed to surprise the Kingdom students. "My name's Victor Szlachta. I'm a friend of Cetanu's." he said, and they all seemed rather unsure that he was telling the truth.

"The Professor never mentioned a friend such as you." Dimitri said, almost nervously. Victor chuckled, his attitude rather unusual for one who looked like he did. "He didn't have much of a reason to mention a little cat like me." he said, and they all found that statement rather odd.

However, they were interrupted by Edelgard and Hubert, who were rather adamant about something. They stopped by the table, Victor leaning over to look at them, being on the far end of where they approached from. "Bernadetta, Professor Manuela would like to see you." Edelgard said, and the large man pursed his lips.

"I know you! You're that Hubert guy that Samyaza told me about." he said, and Abaddon cast a glance to him. What was he thinking? He knew that Victor wasn't accustomed to being 'human', but surely the idea of keeping things to yourself extended to small animals as well. Hubert narrowed his eye. "I don't believe we've ever met. Are you a new student here?" he asked, and Victor hummed.

"You could say that. I kind of need a tutor since I haven't been… here in Fodlan very long. My good pal Abaddon is filling that roll right now." he said, and Hubert narrowed his eyes. He was going to say something different, wasn't he?

"Regardless of your prattling on, we need Bernadetta to accompany us back to the classroom. Professor Manuela has a few questions about her absences." he said, and Bernadetta shrunk down from her seat next to Dimitri. It was true that since being 'betrothed' to the Prince that she'd skipped class a few times, but she didn't think it was that bad.

Victor however, didn't take too kindly to being brushed aside like that. He leaned forward, his cheek resting on his large, muscular, clawed hand. "Not curious to hear what Samyaza had to say about you?" he asked, raising a brow with a smirk on his face.

Abaddon understood exactly what Victor was getting at. He wasn't exposing Samyaza's desires and intentions, he was merely trying to deter the duo from pressing into the issue of Cetanu's awakening further. Hubert looked to him, frowning at the fact that the small archer hadn't moved.

"I assume it was something negative. No man that would bring two hundred Wyvern Riders to Gaspard territory can be a nice man." he said, and Victor blinked, as if surprised. "Two hundred? You think that's it?" he asked, and Hubert seemed to hesitate, a cheshire grin spreading across the man's oddly cat like face.

"So your snitch saw the two hundred Grigoi flying through the skies, but did they see the chariot filled with three _hundred_ eggs ride out of the gate?" he asked, and Hubert seemed to shiver ever so slightly. There it was. Victor got the reaction he wanted, and he bet that Hubert was processing those words.

The Sabertoothed Angel threw his hands up. "My apologies. Bernadetta, you should go with them. Although, I think you should accompany her as her fiancee, Your Highness." he said, and Dimitri blinked before picking up on Victor's real intentions. He watched both of them rise and begin to walk off.

"That was close. Watch your words, Victor." Abaddon said. "Did Mr. Samyaza really have a total of five hundred Wyvern and eggs?" Mercedes asked, and Abaddon nodded. "Despite his appearance, House Crowley is said to be the distant descendants of a vicious wyvern rider named Valter the Moonstone. Samyaza takes his position as Fodlan's 'Lord of the Sky' rather seriously. He might say something different, but this 'mission' he has is what he's been waiting for." he said, and they found this rather interesting.

"Why would he enjoy being sent out to a run down castle?" Annette asked, and Victor rose a brow. He looked to Abaddon, almost curious himself. "His mission is be a fill in. Don't you think it a bit odd that Ashe, Lonato's adopted son, would ride out to his father's lands with hundreds of Wyverns? I don't know the details too well, but Samyaza is taking over Castle Gaspard for a while."

Despite all of their efforts not only cleaning, but searching the castle as well, there was no lone artifact that Ashe could identify with, or that had much value to him. However, Cetanu had found something. They currently browsed a library within the castle, and while Ashe sat in a small chair reading books form his childhood, Cetanu was reading something far worse.

He had found a volume, a book with no title, no author or even a design on the front. It was plain and gray, and it felt horrible. Like an ancient leather that was worn and beaten down, ready to fall apart. However, as he flipped the pages, reading an odd tale about Lonato's son and Ashe's adoptive older brother, Christophe Gaspard, he noted one thing.

The pages were some kind of leather. They weren't the kind of thing you'd find on a scroll, or an old paper. These pages were like glorified belts in themselves, and only when Cetanu got to the climax of the tale did he finally, finally understand. Because the villain in this book, this odd tale of Cristophe's strength and cunning, was a monster.

It was said to be a horror of unspeakable appearance, something with too many limbs that were the wrong sizes, multiple faces smashed together sloppily, a creature that looked like a bad fusion of three or four humans, shambling about and committing murder. Cetanu realized exactly what this was, since he wasn't human himself.

This was what was called a 'War Ghoul', a creature spawned through horrific, twisted Fleshcrafting. It was through this realization, that some time during the life of Christophe, there was a Fleshcrafter in the area, that Cetanu realized that this book wasn't leather at all. It was made from skin. Cetanu wanted to make sure and he grabbed one of the pages.

He pulled on it, watching the corner of the page begin to stretch as the material slowly shifted and began to take the shape of a finger. Cetanu closed his eyes, realizing that this might hold the key to not only Ashe's hunger, but his own understand of what he was.

He looked to his progeny, who sighed as he put a book back on the shelf. "Have you checked Christophe's old room? I assume you two were at least a little close." he said, and Ashe blinked, nodding to his sire before the two set off. On the way, Cetanu thought about the fact that the book hinted at the existence of another Fleshcrafter. He had to figure out more, but how?

When they entered the room, Cetanu was rather surprised to see it in pristine condition, something that he noticed made Ashe choke up slightly. "Do you want me to leave you alone? You can just see Samyaza when you're done." he said, and Ashe nodded quietly, Cetanu nodding to him before departing, Ashe walking through the room.

He remembered spending time with his older brother. He was Ashe's idol. A man that symbolized everything looked up to and aspired to. He was strong, kind, honorable, and confident. Christophe would never have gotten injured at Zanado, never been turned into a monster.

Ashe shook his head. He couldn't think like that. He had to grow comfortable in his own skin. He made the decision. It was either this or death, and he'd never be able to do even half of the things his brother accomplished if he was dead. He'd never have been able to see his siblings again, or his friends.

He looked to a small table by Christophe's bed when he saw it. It was Christophe's necklace. He wore it when he was walking around the castle. It was a golden medallion with the coat of arms of Castle Gaspard on it. Ashe walked over to it and slowly picked it up, looking to it.

He remembered thinking that it was one of the coolest pieces of jewelry he'd ever seen, even more interesting than the things he'd seen higher ranking nobles wear. He ran his thumb along it, watching the marking slowly disappear. Ashe blinked before remembering that his foul, inhuman magick manipulated flesh, and gold itself was a natural material. It was like the flesh of the earth itself.

He began to run his fingers over it, the markings vanishing as a thin circle was drawn, each of the Crests Ashe had consumed forming around around it. He inhaled, his fingers slowly crafting the new coat of arms, the symbol of House Formorian. He watched as it began to take shape, rather surprised at his own proficiency.

It was an Oghma Wolverine standing in front of a dragon, as if the dragon was it's father. This was meant to symbolize Ashe, the Wolverine, and Cetanu, the Dragon. And at the sides of the dragon were seven winged lions, to symbolize the Seven Princes of the Eternal Flames, Cetanu closest allies.

He smiled at the elaborate work. He sat on the edge of the bed, throwing the necklace over his head and smiling at how calm it made him feel. He began to realize that his thoughts were much more positive, and he understood that this was his anchor.

Cetanu, despite his previous worries, found finding the cave he walked through in the wee hours of the day rather interesting. He could smell, and sense the other Blood Demon, a creature that was hiding out in this cave for it's life. He found it's existence rather sad, and it found his rather frightening.

It took the shape of a small, misshapen man with huge ears and massive hands, almost like a character you'd see drawn to make small children laugh. It looked at the black garbed blood demon, almost able to tell who he was. "You! You know HER, don't you!?" it shouted, and Cetanu smiled, tilting his head.

"Do you mean our progenitor? The Fiend?" he asked, and the creature shrunk back, it's body increasing in size as if to try and intimidate Cetanu. "Did she make you too!? That monster turned me into this thing and left me to rot!" he screamed, and Cetanu began to laugh.

He couldn't understand, but around another Blood Demon, he felt… different. He rolled his neck, looking to the horror that continued to expand it's body and spawn random mouths and spikes across it's body. "I was born from her womb. She was my mother." he said, and the creature let out a bestial roar, lashing out a spiked tentacle.

Cetanu deflected the appendage with the Sword of the Creator, slamming the blade into the ground as the creature recoiled. This overwhelming evil, this feeling of dominant monstrosity, began to overwhelm Cetanu, who exhaled.

"I've been looking for another one of my kind. I have desperately tried to find someone that I can test my Fleshcrafting against." he said, his back tearing and erupting as a pair of massive black wings took shape, his body slowly being covered in scale after scale.


	23. Job 16:11

In four days' time, Ashe and Cetanu returned to the Monastery. In the days they spent gone, much had happened. They had completely restructured Castle Gaspard, and Cetanu had done most of the architecture.

With the revamped Castle Formorian, it was designed to accustom the many Wyverns that would be passing through. The small surrounding village and houses were all restructured as well, and the Grigoi and their Nephilim were enough to deter any bandit or thief in the area. There was, and might still be, no crime in Gaspard.

Ashe had briefly met his siblings and told them what he was. They were still young, so they took it as him joking and playing, something that he was very grateful for. He didn't want them to grasp the truth of his inhuman existence. Something he managed to restrain with the medallion he wore.

He'd made more modifications to it, reinforcing the chain with soil molded into iron, and threading shards of steel into the medallion itself. It looked rather out of place on the former commoner, but he was not only not human anymore, he was a future Lord of a noble House, no matter how minor it may be.

With the duo back in the Monastery, Cetanu looked to his progeny, who was rather well behaved the entire time. "Are you hungry?" he asked, and Ashe frowned, closing his eyes. He had spent a lot of time with his mentor and sire, who was teaching him that sadly, his inhuman desire to feed on the blood of humans was something that he'd have to accept and treat as normal.

"I… I am." he said, and Cetanu smiled, patting his progeny on the back. "I'm glad you can control yourself. If you want to feed, you can. Just do it as Ashe, not the Beast." he said, and the boy nodded, walking off, ready to finally deal with the moral struggle of deciding what human he wanted to feed from.

However, for the older, more experienced demon, he remained stalwart, as if pondering what to do. Because he had learned something else about his 'Inner Fiend', and that was that it wasn't ravenous at all. Cetanu had done almost all of the architecture and commissioning of local craftsmen without the dagger on his hip.

He was fully aware now that the monstrous instinct within him wasn't a killer, or something that sought dominance. It was a personification of his arrogance, a Beast that felt itself too important to feed on mere townsfolk.

"I'm glad you aren't a complete monster by now." Cetanu heard as he began to walk. He was surprised to hear Sothis' voice. He had almost forgotten about her in her silence. "I was wondering where you went." he said, and she grit her teeth. "Whatever that thing is was trying to keep me out. Thankfully I am far too great for that." she said, flipping her wild hair with a smug grin.

"What do you think of what I've been doing while you were gone?" he asked, glad that if he was going to be completely insane and hear voices, that he had two different voices to listen to. "I think you've been doing the right thing. Besides that…. Cat." she said, and Cetanu blinked. He'd almost completely forgotten about Victor.

Out of everyone he knew, the first person he ran into was his father. They nodded to each other, Jeralt able to tell that there was another growth in his son. "What is it this time?" he asked, and Cetanu looked to his father, the duo heading towards the Dining Hall. Cetanu didn't often eat, but for some reason he was craving human food.

"I ran into another Fleshcrafter." he said, and Jeralt looked to him, a brow rose. "Really? In Gaspard territory?" he asked, and his son glanced ahead before nodded. "He claimed that Mother was the one that Embraced him." he said, and Jeralt hesitated for a second before sighing.

"He's probably telling the truth. When we traveled together, me and your Mother often ended up in hostile territory, and for some reason, she only seemed to turn scumbags. It was like she was punishing them for their sins or something. It creeped me out." he said with a playful smile, letting Cetanu know that he rather enjoyed it.

Cetanu nodded. "So that's the difference between Mother and I, huh? She looked at what we are as a bad thing, and I don't." he mused, and Jeralt glanced to his son as they got in the line for the Dining Hall. Jeralt shook his head.

"She wanted that. See, she didn't like what she was because all of her 'brothers and sisters' were dead, and she was alone. She was thrilled when she found out she was pregnant with you, because you'd be that companion she'd been searching for." he explained.

The demon glanced to the ground. Was that why he thought about turning Ashe into a Blood Demon? Did he deep down feel a sense of loneliness? He wondered briefly before he sighed. "What did you do with the Fleshcrafter?" Jeralt asked, and Cetanu tilted his head.

"I ate him." he said, and Jeralt stopped in his tracks, almost spilling the hot bowl of stew in his hands. "Ate him? As in drained him dry?" he asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "No, as in I killed him and Fleshcrafted his corpse into an apple. I was curious to see what would happen if I cannibalized one of my own." he said, and the duo sat. Jeralt looked to his son with a look Cetanu couldn't decipher, and he didn't like it.

"You gotta understand that most of us aren't like you, Son. Being a cannibalistic demon isn't going to be something we can just hear without a reaction. It's… different." he said, and Cetanu sighed. He had a feeling that he'd eventually go to far, his desire for knowledge overwhelming his morals and ethics. He wanted to be 'human', and his cannibalistic actions weren't 'humane'.

"What happened to you afterwards?" he asked, and Cetanu looked up to his Father. "My… my Fleshcrafting increased in potency. It was more precise, and I was able to reconstruct things on a broader scale than before. Including my own body." he said, and Jeralt narrowed his eyes. "Your Mother was pretty good at that. She could always turn her arm into a shield or something to keep us safe." he said, and the demon felt himself smile, rather enjoying tales of his mother.

For a young Fleshcrafter like Ashe, who was finally in control, he found the idea of selecting someone as his next meal rather hard. It wasn't that he wasn't willing to feed from someone, as he'd long gotten over that. It was the fact that he was choosing a person to be fed from by a demon. It was like picking someone to be a martyr, someone to behead to make a statement. He found it hard to do.

"There's my Big Bro!" Ashe heard, blinking when he turned to see a huge man approaching him, wearing a golden uniform. "H-have we met?" he asked, and the man shrugged. "Probably not. I been waiting for you, Bro. This place sucks when you gotta keep secrets man." he said, and Ashe blinked. Who was this exactly?

The man must have picked up on his confusion, because he blinked. "My bad, Bro. My name's Victor Szlachta. The ladies call me Sabertooth, and I was made by Cetanu." he said, and Ashe blinked again. "Made?" he asked, and the big man nodded.

"I'm pretty sure you aren't good enough to do it, but I used to be a little black cat that wandered this place. Cetanu decided to change me into a big human kinda guy so that I could finally do what I really wanted to, Bro." he said, and Ashe felt a chill run down his spine. That wasn't possible, was it?

Could Cetanu truly go through the horrific process of pulling, stretching, twisting and rearranging the body of a house cat into such a large human being? What would be the purpose? "Did… did he tell you why he made you?" he asked, and Victor nodded.

"I'm a test. He wants to see if he can make 'War Ghouls' like me to protect his students incase anything happens to him." he said, and Ashe felt himself smile. Even though the idea was horrific, the thought that Cetanu would go through all of that vile, evil activity for the sake of protecting the Blue Lions was rather endearing, and almost inspiring to Ashe.

"So, you having a hard time picking out your prey?" he asked, and Ashe blinked before nodding slowly. This man was infact a cat at one point. He had to know something about being a fickle hunter. The man crouched slightly and slung an arm around Ashe's shoulders.

"I got the perfect person." he said, spreading his huge, sharp teeth in a smile that unnerved Ashe. The man leaned forward and whispered a name into his ear, and Ashe felt his spine straighten in shock. "You want me to feed from him?"

Despite the fact that Cetanu remained in the Dining Hall, absentmindedly reworking the flesh beneath his gloves over and over again, he found himself slightly hungry. It was odd, as he'd just eaten at least three servings of whatever was on the menu, his memory when it came to food rather short. He never truly paid attention to what human food he ate. He just knew that he normally enjoyed it.

"Professor, I'm glad to see that you're back." Cetanu heard, glancing up to see another surprising face. "Ferdinand, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, watching the confident noble sit down across from him. He seemed almost nervous, and fidgety, something that wasn't like him.

"Are you worried that Edelgard will disapprove of you speaking to me?" he asked, and Ferdinand frowned, trying to put up a defiant front. "That has nothing to do with it." he said sternly, and Cetanu resisted the urge to smile. "Well then, you won't mind if I ask you to join me on a walk? I've just finished eating, and I'd love the chance to walk it off." he said, and the orange haired young man nodded, following Cetanu through the nearest courtyard.

"What ails you? It's not often someone outside of my class comes to me." he mused, and Ferdinand sighed. "It...it's Edelgard. I think she means to take covert action against your friend in Gaspard territory." he said, and Cetanu rose a brow. "And how does she plan on doing this? He has an army of Wyvern Riders at his disposal." he said, and Ferdinand sighed.

"I do not know, but she means to take action against that House, or against our own classmate, Bernadetta. Whatever it is that you did to cure your student has her acting like a caged animal. Please, Professor, you must do something before Edelgard starts a war without realizing it." he pleaded, and Cetanu tilted his head.

He glanced around, noticing that they were rather close to his quarters, and suddenly, the Fiend smiled. "If you promise to protect Bernadetta and keep it a secret, I can show you." he said, and Ferdinand blinked.

The young man was immensely curious. How could he not be? The entire Monastery wondered what kind of sorcery Cetanu performed to cure Ashe and repair a severed arm. It was almost like he reversed time on the boy's body to before it happened. It was otherwordly. He nodded, almost cautiously, watching the black garbed man lead him to his quarters.

"Have a seat." Cetanu said, gesturing to the lone chair in his room. He watched the man snap his mantle off and remove the long sleeved overshirt he wore, a thin, sleeveless shirt beneath, revealing arms that looked like a wartorn battlefield.

"Edelgard can not stop me, Ferdinand." he said, sitting on the edge of his bed and looking to the Adrestian student. "Do you know why?" he asked, and Ferdinand shook his head. Cetanu inhaled. "Forgive my arrogance, but I can't find another way to say this. Someone like Edelgard, a person who could one day slay a God, is not capable of defeating someone like me, who is capable of becoming a God." he said, and Ferdinand found that rather surprising to hear.

"Become a God?" he asked, and Cetanu nodded. "A God is a being that creates life and is worshiped, no? As one who can create, change, and end life at a whim, I could easily inspire devotion and worship in those weaker than me. By definition, I would be a God. Now, I don't claim to desire worship, nor do I wish to attain Godhood, but I want you to truly understand that Edelgard isn't a threat to me." he said.

"If she were to send an army on House Formorian right now, I would easily rally together the entire Church, Kingdom and Alliance and have Adrestia wiped out and split into pieces for Claude and Dimitri to fight over." he said, and Ferdinand nodded, almost nervous at how different this man seemed.

"I.. I am aware. I wish to avoid that. Please try and dissuade her. I will help you however I can." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head. "Edelgard can not be dissuaded. It might take months, years, or most of her life, but she will eventually snap and declare war for little to no reason. All I can do is show her that she'd never win as long as I am a factor." he said, and Ferdinand clenched his fists.

He bowed his head, and Cetanu watched him closely. "If it means the safety of my people, the safety of Aegir, I would gladly lay in the grass as a dishonorable snake for your command. You only need to ask." he said, and Cetanu smiled.

"If I make you a Revenant of mine, you'd respond to a remote command even from thousands of miles away. Are you okay with that?" he asked, and Ferdinand blinked. "A… a Revenant?" he asked, and the Fiend nodded. "I've never done this, so I might fail, but there's no fault in trying." he said.

Ferdinand saw his eyes change, his teeth lengthen and sharpen as he opened his mouth. He bit into his own wrist, and Ferdinand winced at the sight of his blood drip to the ground. He stood, the blood from the ground pooling together as if by magick.

He walked around Ferdinand, placing his wrist by his face, his face near Ferdinand's ear. "Revenants are something exclusive to… creatures like me. You see, I can essentially make you a superhuman while bonding you to me. What this means is that you will live freely, but if I command, you will act without resistance against Edelgard. Are you alright with this?" he asked, and Ferdinand inhaled.

This was for Aegir, for the honor of his family, and for the protection of Adrestians everywhere. Under Edelgard's rule, the country would fall to ruin, or fall to defeat against a warrior like Cetanu and his allies. He grabbed the Professor's wrist and brought it to his lips, Cetanu's Inner Fiend cackling in his mind. "Three down!"

Cetanu stood outside his door, flexing his hand and chuckling to himself. He looked to Ferdinand, his curiosity piqued. "How do you feel?" he asked, and Ferdinand rubbed his neck where he'd been bitten. "Well, I feel fine, but are you sure this will be of use?" he asked, and the demon nodded.

"It's a precaution. Incase something happens and we go to war, I can command you to destroy Edelgard's forces from the inside out at the right time. It'll be a pincer attack in essence." he said, and Ferdinand nodded, mumbling to himself as he walked off.

Cetanu began to walk through the Monastery in thought. He found it rather odd that nobody had noticed his return for the most part. He wondered if Abaddon knew he'd return and kept them all away from him should he be famished, but that couldn't be the case.

Cetanu lifted his hand, casting the spell that drew out his Crest, now seeing the Crest of Cichol floating in addition. Now the only one he was missing was the Crest of Saint Cethleann, and he wondered how he'd come across it. He knew from his research that it was incredibly rare. And yet, he knew that Ferdinand's classmate Linhardt had the exact Crest he was searching for.

The Fiend was shaken from his schemes and trance by a smell assaulting his nose. It was both sweet and sour at the same time, a smell that had the notes of a rare Crest while also having the notes of something unpleasant. He inhaled again, noticing that there was a broken wall with a tunnel dug out to his left. He walked towards it, the scent growing stronger.

He smelled it again, noticing that it split up. Was there two? No, there was more than that. Infact, there was more than three. It was more like four. He inhaled again, trying to figure out what this scent was. He blinked, realizing that he recognized this scent from the cave in Gaspard territory.

Within this tunnel, wherever it led, there was something Cetanu wanted to see rather greatly. Because within this tunnel, he smelled four more Blood Demons.


	24. Jeremiah 50:31

Early into the next morning, Cetanu found himself called into the Audience Chamber, noticing that there was nobody but the three of them. The demon entered the chamber with naught but the Sword of the Creator on his waist, something that Seteth made sure to make note of.

"We have determined that for this moon, your mission is to head to the Kingdom to dispose of a band of thieves." Seteth said, and Cetanu looked to him. "This sounds a little routine. Any reason you're sending us over the Knights?" he asked, and Seteth frowned slightly.

"Most of our best knights are out on other missions, and this band of thieves is different. Their leader is a trained warrior. He is Miklan, formerly of House Gautier. We were told that he stole the House's Relic, the Lance of Ruin, and made off with it." he said.

Cetanu rose a brow. House Gautier? He remembered that being the House that his own student, Sylvain was from. His family had a Hero's Relic of their own that he didn't know about? He found this rather interesting, and wondered exactly how many Relics there were.

"Are we being babysat by your men, or do you trust me with this mission?" he asked, and Rhea smiled slightly. "The Lance of Ruin is a powerful weapon, but you shouldn't fear, as the Sword of the Creator is far beyond the other Relics. If you would like us to send a group to supervise you, we shall." she said, and Cetanu nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind, Your Grace. I do thank you for this opportunity to test myself against another Hero's Relic. I will let you know the week before we depart if I believe we need assistance." he said, and Rhea nodded. Seteth folded his arms, narrowing his eyes.

"Do take care to conduct yourself honorably, Professor. You wield the Sword of the Creator. This isn't a chance for you to 'test yourself', and you are expected to conduct yourself as one befitting that holy blade." he said, and Cetanu bowed sarcastically before departing.

When he reached his classroom, his students looked rather happy too see him. They'd been through much in the past few months, but it wasn't nothing that they couldn't handle. He sighed as he leaned against his desk with a hum. "We've been given our mission." he mused, and they all looked rather interested.

"This is another personal mission, so I'll understand if any of you want to withdraw and be replaced by someone else I select." he mused, glances being shared amongst the young students. "We're tasked with defeating a band of thieves in Kingdom territory. However, our primary objective is the retrieval of the stolen Hero's Relic their leader is in possession of." he said, and the all seemed surprised.

"Who'd dare take a Relic from a House?" Mercedes asked, and Cetanu cast his eyes over the cast, seeming ever so slightly agitated. "The Relic we have to recover is the Lance of Ruin, from the bandit's leader, Miklan Gautier." he said, and most of the eyes in the room shifted to Sylvain, who seemed to frown.

"He stole the Lance?" Sylvain asked, and Cetanu sighed as he nodded. "Sadly. It seems that much like with Lonato, we're being tasked with destroying someone close to one of us for the benefit of the Church. Sylvain, do you happen to know why your brother would do something like this?" he asked, and Sylvain closed his eyes.

"He was disowned. Our father decided that we didn't need Miklan as a part of the family since he was born without a Crest." he said, and Cetanu blinked. He knew that people put a lot of importance on Crests, but enough to disown one's own child?

Cetanu frowned. "I sympathize with Miklan in this instance. He's lashing out against a corrupt system that negatively impacted his life. However, that doesn't change our mission. We are to recover the Lance of Ruin, and dispose of Miklan's band of thieves. If we can spare his life and fool Rhea, I will. But..." he trailed, hating that he had to come to this again.

"If Miklan points that lance against any of you, or commands his men to take any of your lives, I will have no choice. Do all of you understand?" he asked, and they all nodded one by one. Cetanu shook his head. "Good. We have two weeks to prepare. I pray that you all keep up your training. I will be around if you need me. You are all permitted to leave." he said, watching them all rise from their seats, Cetanu watching each of them closely.

"Sylvain, I would like to speak to you privately." he said, the red haired noble looking to his teacher and nodding, watching all of the other Lions leave one by one. Sylvain seemed slightly worried in the presence of Cetanu, who was much stronger than him despite being ever so slightly smaller.

"Are you going to be able to handle this?" he asked, and Sylvain sighed, nodding. "I should be alright. I just… I don't want to have to do it myself, Teach. I'm not as strong as Ashe is." he said, and Cetanu nodded. "I'll make sure you aren't forced to do anything you don't want to. On the other hand, how are you around us?" he asked, and Sylvain blinked.

"I'm fine, why?" he asked, and Cetanu tilted his head. He assumed that Sylvain would have a bigger problem with being fed from, much like Dimitri seemed to. Although, he noted from Ferdinand and Asmodeus that it wasn't all bad. Some people just found it unpleasant in the moment, nothing serious enough to ruin their day or change their viewpoints on things. Cetanu smiled. "I'm glad. I'd hate for you to be afraid of us." he said.

As Cetanu walked the halls of the Monastery, his mind kept traveling back to the tunnel he stumbled upon. He decided to ignore it, but he knew that there were Blood Demons within. He smelled it. He knew that he'd have to search the tunnel before he departed for the Kingdom. He had no choice, he was compelled by his status as another Blood Demon. He wondered for a split second… what would they taste like?

He shook his head free of such thoughts, glancing to his waist to see the blue bladed dagger, the thing that normally controlled his instincts and negative desires. He wondered if it was wearing off, or if he was so much farther gone after encountering the other Fleshcrafter and obtaining the Crest of Cichol.

He soon found himself crossing paths with Dimitri, who gave him a pleasant smile that set his mind at ease, the demon able to notice the man standing next to him. He was slightly taller than both of them, and he had shoulder length wavy blue hair and a thin mustache. "Professor, have I ever introduced you to Rodrigue?" he asked, and Cetanu bowed slightly, receiving a bow in return.

"Pleasure to meet you Sir. I'm Cetanu Eisner, Professor of the Blue Lions." he said, holding his hand out. The man shook his hand, and Cetanu should sense a large amount of magickal energy within the man, assuming that he was a mage of some form. "My name is Rodrigue. I'm the Lord of House Fraldarius. My son, Felix, has mentioned you before. He said you were quite the capable warrior and teacher." he said, and Cetanu smiled slightly, bowing his head.

"Pleasure to meet you, Lord Fraldarius. Your son is quite the capable warrior himself. I'm glad to have someone like him under my tutelage. Tell me, what brings you to the Monastery?" he asked, and the man nodded his head.

"It's the mission I heard you were assigned. The men in question, Miklan's men, took up arms and managed to capture a tower within my territory. I was wondering what the men that would be aiding me in getting it back were like. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was Dimitri and his friends." he said.

Cetanu looked to his House's leader. He knew that Dimitri was close with Felix's father, who had extended the olive branch to him after the death of King Lambert. "I pray that we'll be able to meet your expectations. If you desire for us to move out earlier than our assigned and scheduled date, please let us know. We have no qualms with aiding you." he said, and the man chuckled.

"Please, take as long as you need to prepare. I'd hate to have to carry anyone back in a coffin. I'd rather those scoundrels have their way for a few weeks than have my son or his friends injured." he said, and Cetanu nodded. He could respect this man. He cared greatly about the lives of Cetanu's students, which was something he could find rather respectable.

Later that day, Cetanu had caught up to Ashe, who seemed ever so slightly nervous. "Are you alright? You don't seem that hungry." he mused, and the smaller demon nodded. "I did feed. I just… hope that I didn't do anything that can come back to bite me." he said, and Cetanu rose a brow. "Why would it?" he wondered, and his student, and progeny, looked to him. "Well… I kind of took Mr. Victor's advice on WHO to feed from." he said, and Cetanu sighed. He knew that Fleshcrafting the cat into someone with human level intelligence would be a gamble, and he guessed this was the Goddess laughing at the risk he took.

"You're a smart kid, Ashe. I'm sure you'll realize it wasn't that bad of an idea." he said, and Ashe sighed. "i hope that you're right." he said, and Cetanu glanced to his progeny. "Ashe, what do you think of our mission? Do think that it's a little unusual that the month after we have to defeat Lonato, we have to take down Sylvain's brother?" he asked, and Ashe frowned, glancing to the ground.

"Well, I hope this is the last time. Because if we have to do anything pertaining to Ingrid, or Dedue, or even Mercedes and Annette, I might have to start thinking that I made a mistake killing my father." he said, and Cetanu closed his eyes. This wasn't a good thing. He'd definitely have to change his focus after this mission. He needed to learn more about Rhea and Seteth themselves. Someone had to know something.

That night, Cetanu found himself staring at that same tunnel, the scent of other Blood Demons rife in his nostrils. He wondered if he should head down there, if he should see exactly what these other Blood Demons were like.

"What are you doing out here at this hour, Teach?" he heard, glancing to see Claude approaching. He wasn't alone, as he had Hilda, the pink haired girl from his class. Cetanu looked back to him, and he narrowed his eyes.

In his eyes, there was an odd glint of understand, as if he knew something. Cetanu wondered for a second, before he began putting the puzzle together. "Did you tell your class?" he asked, and Claude rose a brow before chuckling.

"You sound a little paranoid there, Teach. Nobody knows what you're talking about but us." he said, winking at the demon as if they were close friends. Cetanu glanced to the tunnel. "Are you aware of this?" he asked, and Claude looked to it before he shook his head. "Never seen it before. What about you?" he asked.

Cetanu shook his head. "No… but there is something down there. I'm trying to decide if I should head down there. It begs exploration, but I'm hesitant incase something goes awry." he mused, more to himself. Claude hummed before looking to Cetanu.

"Why don't we head down there together? Worse case scenario is we get lost underground and Seteth gets mad about it." he mused, and Cetanu found this rather amusing. The prospect of annoying Seteth was something that the duo had in common, and Cetanu glanced up, his advanced senses hearing footsteps approaching.

He noticed that it was Dimitri and Ashe, who were approaching from the direction of Bernadetta's, and Ashe's own rooms. They noticed Cetanu with the two Golden Deers, and they found it odd. "Professor, I wasn't expecting to see you out this late, especially not with Claude." Dimitri mused, and Cetanu shrugged, feeling rather amused at the entire situation.

"I figured that someone who was Almyran like Claude would taste different. Aren't you rather curious yourself, Ashe?" Cetanu asked, the question coming off as rather unusual and odd. Ashe however, seemed to almost shrink under the question, leading Cetanu to another conclusion, proving a hunch he had earlier.

"Well, regardless, can you smell the same thing I can, Ashe?" he asked, and Ashe inhaled, realizing that he could actually smell something different. It was a similar, but weaker, smell than what was coming off of Cetanu himself. The smell of a Blood Demon.

"I can." he said, and Cetanu smiled. "This is rather interesting, so why don't the six of us head down there?" he asked, and they blinked, looking amongst each other. "Um… there's only five of us." Hilda said, and Cetanu glanced to a corner obscured by shadows, the moons light casting a dark pall over the small corner. "Victor, let's go." he said, and the large cat man began to laugh as he walked into the open.

The six of them began to travel through the tunnel, deeper and deeper into it's depths. Cetanu and Ashe were in the lead, followed by Victor and Dimitri and the Golden Deer in the back. Cetanu looked to Ashe.

"When we get out of here, I'm going to smack you for listening to Victor." he said, and Ashe chuckled nervously. "Sorry, he just said the one thing that triggered my… Beast." he said, and Cetanu sighed, shaking his head.

"The Crests you're accruing are far more in number than me. The Crest of Flames, Bladdiyd, Gautier and now Reigan? You do realize that the entire Alliance could be at your throat now, right?" he asked, and Ashe shook his head.

"Claude actually agreed to help me if anything happened. He was really, really into me… feeding from him." he said, and Cetanu glanced back to the future Archduke. He was quite the unusual one, but at least he was another ally in his behind the scenes game of chess against the Empire.


	25. Matthew 5:17

The tunnel they traversed led to a larger room, something that looked almost like a ruined underground city. They all found this rather surprising, another layer to the secrets of the monastery. "Well, I think we can safely say that this is the best thing we could've done tonight." Claude mused, something Cetanu found himself agreeing with.

Led by his nose, the group continued to travel through the underground area, which they noticed narrowed and twisted and turned like a labyrinth, something that Cetanu assumed was a defensive measure. He hesitated, hearing something in the distance. What exactly was it?

"We're about to be ambushed. Do not kill anyone." Cetanu said, and they all seemed surprised. They weren't armed, so how could they fight? "If you aren't confident in your own physical ability, let me know so I can make you a weapon." he said, and they all looked to him. "They smell like random civilians. They don't even have the same strength as the other students." Victor noted.

As if responding to his statement, a small group of masked mercenaries charged them, Cetanu and Victor taking the front of the line to defend the students. One of the men came down with a blade that struck Cetanu's mantle, bouncing off and allowing Cetanu to throw a stiff left palm, knocking the man back.

Victor caught and snapped the blades of his would be attackers, grabbing them by the skull and slamming their heads together to knock them out. He sighed, noticing that Cetanu had already disabled a few more men, his stance incredibly relaxed, the students watching the two monsters move quickly and decisively.

"Come on out you cowards! I just wanna talk." Victor said, the duo able to still sense movement in the shadows. Cetanu didn't like this. It was obvious that they came in peace, and unarmed, so why were they beset by a horde of unequipped men who couldn't scratch them? Cetanu heard another noise, something that was similar to a sigh, or a yawn.

When he did, the ground in front of them exploded open, and a huge, worm like monster rose up, hissing at them and spraying acidic saliva in their direction. Cetanu frowned at this, finding that their underground hosts weren't very hospitable. He rolled his neck, and he glanced to Victor. "You and Ashe take everyone deeper in. I'm going to deal with this thing." he said, and the cat man whistled before nodding, the quintet moving on without him.

"We can't just leave him behind like that!" Hilda said, and Dimitri chuckled, an almost nervous sound. "I wouldn't worry about him. He's going to be fine." he said, glancing back and seeing Cetanu simply stare at the monster. It was such an odd look, like a scientist looking at a caged animal. It was horrible.

"Where did you come from?" Cetanu asked, the beast lunging at him with it's mouth open. Cetanu caught it by the chin, smiling at the fact that he made physical contact with it. "Whoever your master is, they aren't very smart." he said, the creature spasming and twitching as Cetanu reworked it's innards, the creature dying from the pain it was in, overwhelmed by the demon with nothing but a simple touch.

The group of five came to a larger room, and they all seemed rather worried, since the room held a viscous aura, a dark feeling that accompanied an odd chill in the room. "Finally, I've been waiting for someone decent to fight!" they heard, seeing a man wearing all white approach, cracking his knuckles with a smile on his face.

"You might want to hold back. I still want to get some information out of them." they heard, a second man, this one younger and much more feminine with purple hair. "They're going to die either way. Why bother?" came next, a girl with blood red hair and dark brown skin coming next.

"Because we have to see if they have any information that may aid us, of course! We have a sacred duty as the guardians of the Abyss!" they heard, a haughty snobbish girl with oddly colored hair arriving next. They numbered four to the Monastery's five, but something told them that they might not be the favorite in this clash.

"You kids the ones that sent that monster after us?" Victor asked, and they all had a different reaction. "You got past it?" the largest of the four said, almost surprised. Victor shrugged. "Our leader decided to deal with it. He should be here soon." he noted, and the brown skinned girl frowned.

"If you think some random merc is gonna get passed one of those monsters, you must be stupid." she said, and Victor shrugged. "Why don't you tell us who you are? We didn't come here to hurt you guys." Claude said, and the purple haired boy rose a brow.

"Really? Then why is there a Blood Demon with you?" he asked, and they all blinked. Ashe frowned, narrowing his eyes. "I came here because I smelled you four. I don't see how that's relevant." he said, and the haughty girl frowned.

"If you think that we aren't aware of the Church's desire to be rid of us, then you must peg us for bigger fools than yourselves!" she said, and Dimitri frowned. "We had no idea any of you were down here, much less that the Church has anything against you." he said, trying to get through to at least one of them.

"Really? Then you wouldn't mind putting your fists up and proving that?" The taller male asked, and Dimitri frowned. He didn't want to fight any of these people, regardless of who or what they were. They were just curious, surely they could come to a peaceful compromise?

"I think I'd rather do that you damn cave dwelling buffoon." Victor said, the two coming face to face and frowning. They looked like two titans ready to throw earth shaking blow after blow. "Victor, stand down." they heard, turning to see Cetanu approaching, looking rather relaxed given the scenario.

The four white and gray garbed individuals looked to Cetanu, and they could tell that he was the strongest of this group by leaps and bounds. It was rather surprising to feel such a presence in their abode, and he met them with a kind smile. "Pleasure to meet you all. I'm Cetanu Eisner." he said, and they all seemed to recognize that name.

"The Demon Lord of Wrath!? Truly you jest!" the haughty girl said, seeming ever so slightly afraid. Cetanu shrugged, seeming even more relaxed if that was possible. "Not at all. I simply came down here because I wanted to see others of our kind. Surely you feel the same?" he asked, an oddly genuine curiosity in his voice.

"What are you? We've seen a lot of our kind, and none of them feel as disgusting as you do." the purple haired boy said, and Cetanu chuckled. "I've never seen any besides myself and my progeny, sadly. So to see the four of you brings me a sense of happiness." he said, ignoring the question completely.

"Listen, Chatterbox, you better start answering our questions. You're in our territory." the brown girl said, and Cetanu looked to her. For some reason, he felt compelled to be kind, as if the ideal of hospitality and being a good host or guest had an influence on his inhuman nature. He bowed slightly. "My apologies. I'm Cetanu Eisner, and I'm the son of The Fiend, the first Blood Demon and mother of the Fleshcrafters." he said, and the four of them cast looks between each other.

"I think it would be best if you turned around. We might be monsters ourselves, but we will not play the host to something as abominable as you." the haughty girl said, and Cetanu rose a brow.

"Come now, Constance Von Nuvelle, is that any way to treat a guest?" he asked, and the girl felt her inhuman heart skip a beat. She was sure that none of them had ever mentioned their names, and yet, this man knew her name, and what House she was from.

"How do you know her name, buddy?" the larger male said, and Cetanu looked to him. "I'm a Fleshcrafter, Balthus Von Albrecht. If scaring someone doesn't work, I can simply restructure their brain to tell me what I want to know. It's hardly a challenge for someone like me." he said, and they all seemed rather nervous.

"What do you want? If you weren't sent here to kill us, then why did you have to bother us?" the brown skinned girl asked, and Cetanu sighed. "I merely wish to interact. I have never met another Blood Demon, and my students here are rather curious to see what weaker, and different… 'clans' of our kind are like." he said, and they seemed to almost relax. "If you promise to leave our people alone, and to remain benevolent, you can stay for a while. But if you do anything out of place, we will stop you." the purple haired boy said, and Cetanu laughed.

With the group split up in a more casual area that also had random humans ranging from soldiers to the homeless, Cetanu found himself spending time with the leader of this entire underground society, the purple haired boy, Yuri. He found this to be the best outcome, as no one would have more information than the leader.

"You said that the Church has something against you all?" he asked, and Yuri nodded, a frown on his features. "Each of us ended up down here for a different reason. Avoiding would be assassins or hunters, lack of wealth and so on. The four of us are essentially in charge because of our strength, and nothing more." he said, and Cetanu felt like that wasn't true. There had to be another layer to it, something he wasn't being told. "But what reason would Rhea have to kill any of you?" he asked.

Yuri cast him a look, and Cetanu felt like he could understand it. It was a sad gaze, one of a tormented soul. It was the kind of look that Ashe used to wear at all times, a blatant hatred for one's inhuman circumstance. "We're monsters. We can barely survive snacking on the weak and downtrodden here. It's only a matter of time before one of us snaps and gets all of us killed." he said, and Cetanu hummed.

"What kind of Blood Demons are you all? As a Fleshcrafter, I can suppress my hunger with this dagger I wear." he said, and Yuri glanced to it. "I don't think that'd work for me. I'm an Artist. It might not make much sense to someone as incredibly vile as you, but I have a harder time suppressing my urges around those I deem attractive." he said, and Cetanu tilted his head.

"Which, since you're an Artist, means most people, am I right?" he asked, and Yuri nodded. It was odd that the slightly older Blood Demon seemed to know a lot of their kind. Even they themselves weren't the most aware of what they were or what they could and could not do. If there was someone that could enlighten them, teach them, that might be to their benefit.

Separate from Yuri and Cetanu, the rest of the two groups intermingled. They had come to find out that Balthus, the brawn of the underground group, was the former heir to House Albrecht, a noble house in the Alliance, and that Balthus personally was good friends with Hilda's older brother, Holst.

"What the Professor said about you being some kind of monster was a joke… right?" she asked, and he sighed, scratching his head. "Sadly, it wasn't. That kinda part of why I'm down here. Between my bad financial skills and being something that isn't human, you can imagine how many enemies I've garnered." he said.

"Sounds to me like you're better off out of the public eye." Claude said, and Balthus nodded to him. "Yeah. See, while my Crest comes from my father's side of the family, very few people knew it, but my mother was a Blood Demon. She was from a clan called 'The Beasts', so you can imagine how that went in private meetings with other nobles." he mused.

"I must extend my condolences to you. It must be hard to be stuck down here, deprived of most of life's pleasures." Dimitri said, and the grappler shrugged with a sigh. "It's better this way. Now I can avoid bounty hunters and would be Demon Slayers. Lots of people don't take kindly to creatures like us. How'd it feel when you guys found out?" he asked, and they all thought about it.

"Well, I still don't believe some of it." Hilda said, glancing away from her childhood friend. "I myself grew accustomed to it rather quickly. It's a bit odd, but I have friends that are a great help." Dimitri said, sounding much more confident.

"I think it's pretty cool. Plus, getting bitten isn't the worst thing in the world." Claude said, winking in Ashe's direction, somehow making the Blood Demon that moulds flesh the uncomfortable one. "I figured out about it when I was Embraced, and it took quite some time to get used to it." he said, and they all blinked.

"Hey, Freckles, what are you talking about?" the girl with the brown skin, who was named Hapi, asked. Ashe blinked. "Which part? I mean, I think it'd be a little odd if I wasn't accustomed to it by now." he said, and they seemed arguably more puzzled.

Constance, the haughty girl that didn't sit well with anyone besides Hilda, and of course Victor, frowned. "Do not play the fool! What do you mean 'Embraced'? Are you claiming that you were turned into one of us and not born!?" she shouted, and he blinked. He nodded slowly, as if surprised. "You mean you guys are all like the Professor, and born this way?" he asked, and they all seemed a bit unsettled. "Kid, we didn't think it possible to make more of us." he said.

"Really? It was the first thing I did." they heard, turning to see Yuri and Cetanu approaching, the purple haired Blood Demon seeming slightly unnerved at the conversation. Balthus narrowed his eyes. "How, and why would you do it?" he asked, and Cetanu glanced about, as if searching for something. "How, I'll show you if need be. Why? To save his life of course. I could cure the poison ailing him that not even my friend Lillith could cure with her Crest, and while he fed, I was able to restructure his missing arm." he said.

"Missing limbs? Don't you have any boundaries?" Hapi asked, and Cetanu nodded. "Of course. Although, you won't often see them, much like right now." he said, and they blinked, on edge at how threatening those words sounded. "What's that supposed to mean?" Yuri asked, slightly worried as he was the closest to Cetanu.

"I was wondering if we could do a little trust building exercise. You see, I can sense a large number of mercenaries sneaking into this place from one of the upper tunnels. If you'd oblige me, I'd like to leave my people here to guard your… 'Abyss', while the five of us head to deal with the riff raff above. Does that sound acceptable?" he asked, and all of the Garreg Mach students nodded quickly.

The Four other Blood Demons were rather hesitant to trust this man. He was incredibly powerful, and he had knowledge of things they didn't expect, and he wanted to be left alone with them and a bunch of mercenaries. It was quite the grim scenario, and yet, they couldn't turn away. Yuri looked to Cetanu, his eyes slightly narrowed, fangs bared in a snarl.

"We'll go with you, but if you try anything, and I mean anything, the four of us will strike you down and feast on the remains." he said, and Cetanu smiled as he looked to the leader of this motley crew. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. It'd be rather messy when I regenerate."


	26. John 12:47

The five traversed the underground labyrinth, heading for the mercenaries. They could all smell them, and found the number rather unsettling. "Could you shed a little more information on this situation for me? Knowing what you are, who would be stupid enough to send humans after you?" Cetanu asked.

"It's kind of a fear thing, I guess. They're scared of what we can do, and between that and the fact that the Church seems rather unhappy with us being here, mercs jump at the chance to wipe us out." Balthus said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes.

"Have you ever encountered a group of mercenaries under the command of a man named Jeralt? They'd wear this insignia." he said, gesturing to the elaborate, white knotwork on the back of his mantle. They glanced to it, and it almost seemed like they recognized it. "A couple of times, yeah. First time we barely managed to escape with our lives, but the second time..." Hapi trailed, sounding rather upset about something. Yuri nodded, sharing the sentiment.

"We had a fifth Demon, but he was struck down by some green eyed Archer who used his Crest like some kind of blinding magick." he said, and Cetanu hesitated. He looked ahead, seeing the first signs that in this current room, a large thing with an open metal gate, there were the first signs of men filing into the room. He wanted to know more, because this story was incredibly interesting to him.

"The archer you speak of is my brother in arms, Abaddon Al Aubin, the Angel of the Abyss." he said, and Constance frowned. "He dares to use that name to spite us!? I shall have his head!" she shouted, and Cetanu glanced to her briefly as the first men filed into the large room. He wasn't a big fan of the haughty former noble.

"Should we be worried about the Professor?" Dimitri asked, and Claude shook his head, the quintet walking through the small domestic area within Abyss. They saw various people from all walks of life, and the one thing they all had in common was how downtrodden they were. Poor, homeless, wanted by the law or by a noble House. It was a horrid aura, and the two future monarchs wondered how they'd be able to help.

"I think Teach will be alright. If he's stronger than Ashe, than we shouldn't have to worry about anyone." Claude noted, and they all found this rather sound logic. "The Church got some explaining to do when I get back up there. I'm ready to wring some necks." Victor said, finding the sight of even his fellow felines weak and without a guarantee of their next meal stomach turning. He hated it, and so did the rest of them.

"Well, when we go back to the surface, we could always make frequent trips down here to help out. I'm sure the Professor wouldn't mind getting the rest of our class on board." Ashe noted, and Dimitri nodded. "We can take all of the help we can get. I'd hate to see these good people suffer because of things out of their control." he noted, and even Claude couldn't disagree.

Cetanu looked to the room, the odd hundred or so men laying at their feet, all defeated without much difficulty. He picked up on the skills and fighting styles of the other four Blood Demons, and deduced multiple ways to defeat them in multiple combinations as it stood. His mind was honed for war, and even when fighting, he thought of the next battle.

He deduced that Constance was the weak link. Despite the fact that he saw her Crest, which was oddly enough the Crest of Noa, much like Lillith, he could tell that her physical ability was almost non-existent. The same went for Hapi, who had the Crest of Timotheos, much like a few of the Blood Demons Abaddon claimed to have vanquished.

Her magickal skill was far more impressive, but it was the fact that when she sighed, yawned, or made any noise similar to that, a monster would appear that interested him. He could only imagine how annoying that would be to suffer through. And yet, he wanted to learn more.

The best fighter was by far Balthus, who wore a pair of odd, fleshlike gauntlets called 'Vajra Mushti', an apparent Hero's Relic of House Albrecht, something compatible with his Crest of Chevalier, which was somehow the same as Samyaza's Crest. He wondered exactly how this worked, as the Crests his brothers bore were also on these underground Blood Demons.

"Now see, that wasn't so hard. I think we make a good team." he said, and they all looked to him, rather surprised at the fact that he wasn't even breathing hard despite fighting the mercenaries bare handed. Yuri especially didn't take kindly to this, and Cetanu could tell.

"What exactly is your goal now? You met us and learned enough about us." he said, and Cetanu shook his head. "I haven't learned enough. For example, I want to know why it is that my brother in arms, The Demon Lord of Sloth Samyaza Crowley, who is descended from a Wyvern Lord named Valter the Moonstone, has the same Crest as Balthus." he said, and the grappler blinked at that.

"Well… my dad did say something about having a wyvern rider or two in the family somewhere. And it think it is kind of weird that my gauntlets look like a dragon or something." he mused, looking rather amusing with his confused face and the large, three clawed gauntlets over his fists.

"So it might be a split branch. Now how do you explain that my sister in arms, Lillith Eden Ophanima, The Demon Lord of Gluttony, has the same Crest as Constance?" he asked, and they looked to the haughty girl, who seemed at a complete loss.

"If she is with the same band of Mercenaries as that Archer, than I refuse to believe you. There is no way such a vile creature can share the same blood as I." she said, and Cetanu nodded. "There must be an explanation, and I intend to find out. However, there is one thing I find rather interesting." he said, his eyes shifting to Yuri, who seemed a little surprised at this.

"Do you remember that Archer that Constance spoke of? The green eyed one that I claimed to know?" he asked, and Yuri nodded, almost cautiously. "His name was as I said, Abaddon Al Aubin, The Angel of the Abyss. But remember that his last name is Al Aubin, meaning that he bears the Crest of Aubin. The same Crest that you have." he said, and Yuri could feel his eyes widen at that statement.

"There's no way that's possible!" he shouted, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. This wasn't like Yuri, who he noticed fought with a very snake like style, striking and pulling back and using various magicks to strike from a distance or maintain his own distance. It was a rather tricky style, and the hardest for Cetanu to strategize against.

He could tell that he was pushing the young man's buttons, and almost triggering his inner Beast, something that Cetanu truly wanted to see from each of the other demons. "I have no reason to lie. Us of Jeralt's elite, his hand picked half dozen monsters, all bear a Crest of some form. It just so happens that three of the four you all possess are shared by my brothers in arms." he said.

"What about you? Which Crest do you have?" Balthus asked, and Cetanu held his hand up, the familiar red light appearing as his original Crest took shape, and the Crests he'd obtained orbiting it.

The four Blood Demons looked at it in awe, and Cetanu couldn't help but stare for a moment, thinking ever so briefly that he needed the Crest of Cethleann to complete his little hitlist. "Why are there four of them!? What have you done to your own body?" Constance asked, rather afraid.

"My Crest is the same as the Goddess herself, the Crest of Flames. However, me and my progeny, the freckled boy with the gray hair, have noticed that we obtain at the least a fraction of a Crest from those we feed from. If you think this is surprising, you should look at Ashe." he said.

"So, what's the big idea? You gonna go collecting Crests and become some unstoppable monster?" Yuri asked, and Cetanu shook his head. "You see, for most of my life, I had an aspect of Fleshcrafting magick subconsciously put on my mind. The trauma of my birth, which nearly took my life, and did take my mother's life, caused my power to lose control, and I split myself in two essentially." he explained.

"There was Cetanu Eisner, a warrior and mercenary that had no emotions or expressions, a killing machine. And then there was… The Fiend, Cetanu. My emotions and inhuman powers locked away and split up, possibly by an outside source at birth. Now that the two halves are whole again, I only have one goal." he said.

"It is to my students, and my brothers in arms, and to myself. That goal is Metamorphosis. I desire to see everyone I care about transformed into the best warrior, monarch, noble, father, husband or so on they can be. My goal is peaceful evolution, which is why I stood with you tonight." he explained.

"You aren't making any sense, Chatterbox. If you care so much about your little students above ground, why come down here?" Hapi asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "Knowledge is part of 'Metamorphosis.'. If I don't know about other Blood Demons, how am I supposed to get people to understand that there's nothing wrong with us? We are people too, just stronger, faster, closer to the divinity that we worship." he said.

"You have such a high opinion of yourself, Monster! How can you speak so casually about peace when you're the farthest from human out of any of us!" Constance shouted, and Cetanu blinked. That was truly, and honestly, a rather good question. He was the farthest from human, almost defiantly so.

While Ashe and these four managed to maintain their humanity, their morals and ethics and boundaries, Cetanu hadn't. And it wasn't simply because Cetanu hadn't stood by his ideals and views. It was simply that they never truly existed. He was always a detached monster, the kind of rabid beast that you let off the leash to hunt and nothing else.

This made Cetanu feel a pang of sadness, understanding that even though he held such a good hearted goal, it was born from his inhuman urges and desires. Wasn't it? Or was he truly a good man, and he merely doubted himself because he was a monster that scared away one of his precious students? He inhaled realizing that Constance continued to annoy him on many levels.

"I will not claim to be a good man. I was emotionless, a machine bred for killing, borne from the mating of the first Blood Demon and one of the greatest human warriors to ever walk the earth. I am not human, nor have I ever been. However, that doesn't change what I said." he explained.

"I desire a peaceful world where all of us can intermingle, humans, Blood Demons and whatever else exists. A world where one's Crest doesn't dictate the course of your life, and where being a Blood Demon is merely just a random fact, like one's race, faith, sexuality or so on. True, it may be impossible, but..." he began to trail, inhaling.

"I am fully willing to spend the entirety of my life striving for that goal. I lost one of my students, a girl who fled from my Pride and into a Flock led by a bunch of fools that desire war and death for their own ideals. I am striving to build my ideal world, one where fledglings like my progeny aren't brought to tears when they feed. One where people do not flee at the realization we are among them." he declared, and Balthus whistled.

"You really do got your eyes on some big prize there Buddy. I like it. I might not be able to speak for the rest of us, but I'm willing to help however I can. After all, what better help could you get than the Undisputed King of Grappling!?" he quipped, and Cetanu felt himself chuckle and smile at the slightly older man, his eyes passing over the other three.

"If you want to somehow get all of us out of here, and make so I don't have to drink blood from a damn stiff or some ugly assassin, than I guess I can help you out here and there." Yuri said with a smirk, something that Cetanu found rather pleasing.

"Well, I can't say I'd be of any use, but I can at least make sure you never talk anyone's head off like that again, Chatterbox." Hapi said, and Cetanu chuckled. He wasn't normally one for monologuing, but he needed to get his point across, and he guess that based on the small smile on the girl's pretty face, that it worked.

"I… I will offer my aid as well. So long as in the end House Nuvelle rises again." Constance said, and Cetanu bowed to her slightly, his eyes glancing to the ground where he realized that there was no sincerity in her words. He offered her a smile, but he heard a laugh in his head.

"She's not gonna work out..." it trailed, and Cetanu inhaled as the five of them headed back to the main residential area, where the rest of Cetanu's group was. "I am aware of that. For now, let me work. I'm still trying to learn about them. She still has her uses." Cetanu said mentally, the tear stained cheeks of his Inner Fiend curling up in another cheshire grin.

"You really are the kind of monster they said you are, huh? Walking back with them happily like a little demon family while conspiring on how to kill one of them? That's not nice." it said, and Cetanu inhaled.

"I told them that I was a war machine that desired peace. They never asked me to elaborate any further than I did. I am a creature that humans call a Fiend. A Demon. They should've asked me if my ideal world included them."


	27. Ezekiel 3:17

Over the course of the next week, Cetanu found his new underground allies rather interesting, a welcome and pleasant addition to his routine. He had brought his students down to Abyss for an assignment, having them provide aid. Of course, he had an ulterior motive.

He wanted to learn more about the Blood Demons, and used his students as bait to draw that out. With Constance, there was no question about it, she was a Madman, one of the Blood Demons descended from the mentally unstable 'Moon', a Demon responsible for the death of one of it's siblings.

With the materials he had from Edelgard, Cetanu was able to deduce that Balthus and Hapi were both somehow members of the 'Beast' clan. They were a clan of bestially attuned demons that had incredible physical capability and the ability to summon and control animals, much like Hapi. Although, the monsters were a bit excessive by what he could learn.

The most interesting to him, and by far his favorite to deal with, was Yuri. The young man was a member of a clan called 'The Artists', a group of Blood Demons with the ability to manipulate not only their own presence and the way people viewed them, but the very minds and hearts of their targets. Of course, Yuri's abilities had yet to work on Ashe or Cetanu. Even Dimitri was able to resist his inhuman charms. Cetanu found it rather amusing however, that Sylvain was not.

Today was slightly different. The students were enjoying a day off, a day to relax and enjoy a choir performance at the cathedral. Cetanu however, very much wanted to visit Abyss. He didn't want to go alone though, which led him to now.

"It'd be better if Sammy was here with us." he heard, glancing behind him to see Lillith appearing a little bummed that the group's Wyvern Lord wasn't here with his current job. "I think it's fine. We'll be simply spending time here anyhow. Nothing that'd interest him much anyhow." Beelzebub said, the group entering the larger area, finding it rather surprising.

"The Church must really have something against these people if this is the extent of their conditions." Lillith said, frowning as she subconsciously went off to search for someone to help, her oddly angelic nature rather out of place for a group called 'Demon Lords.'

Asmodeus found himself wandering off as well, wondering if there was some poor man or woman whose day he could brighten up, Beelzebub heading to the small inn that was in working order, looking for a stiff drink or at least broken glass so he could look at himself. This left Cetanu alone with Abaddon, who could tell that this was his intention.

"Why are we here?" he asked, and Cetanu looked to them as they started walking randomly. "You said that you lost your eye a while back rushing in against Blood Demons, right? Well, Yuri tells me that they had a fifth member of their group, struck down by an Archer with the Crest of Aubin." he said, and Abaddon sighed, closing his emerald eye.

"It's the truth. You were rather young, but I remember it like it was yesterday. You see, all of the Blood Demons you probably met down here were all young, little adolescents and such that were in and out of this place because of the Blood Demon that lived down here." he explained as they turned a corner.

"They might not remember it the same as I do, since the demon in question was a Madman with the Crest of Timotheos. He probably manipulated their minds, might have altered their powers and such, I have no idea. But we were employed to kill the thing, and I went in blindly because we lost another one of our better men to this guy. He was a good hearted merc named Bruce, and I got too emotional and it cost me my eye." he said, and Cetanu nodded.

"How much do you know about your family and Crest? The Crest of Aubin is listed by Hanneman and other Crest Scholars as lost to history." he said, and Abaddon sighed. "I don't know much. I wasn't around my family often, as both of my parents were mercs themselves. It's why I got into the trade." he mused, and Cetanu hummed as they entered a room.

When they did, the four Blood Demons, who he learned formed an unofficial fourth house called the Ashen Wolves, looked up. They immediately recognized Abaddon, the tall, black haired, emerald eyed Sniper, and knew he was the one that killed their fifth member, the fifth Blood Demon.

They all stood up immediately, Abaddon remaining unflinching at the sight of their fingernails sharpening and fangs bearing and lengthening. He had seen this before in his life, and he knew that with Cetanu here, he would have no reason to fight. "What the hell is he doing here!?" Yuri growled out, and Cetanu could tell that he was on the edge.

"I invited my brothers in arms here. Asmodeus, Lillith and Beelzebub are all walking about interacting with the denizens. I figured that Abaddon would join me on a walk is all." he said, and none of them bought it.

Balthus stepped forward, and Cetanu deduced that despite his outward attitude, that the Beast was the most sensible of the four. "He means no harm, Balthus. Perhaps you should remember that we are all monsters and sinners here." he said, the man diffusing slightly, the Ashen Wolves all remaining incredibly on edge.

"I understand that you all hate me. After all, the Blood Demon you all knew in your younger years, the one called Wade, was killed by my hand. I still wear the scar of that battle, and I'm sure you all have scars on your hearts." he said, and they seemed to take that offensively.

"You dare speak of our friend such!? And you dare use his name like it's some title you won in a contest!?" Constance shouted, and Abaddon frowned. "I took his name because he had no right to bear it. He was a Demon, a monster with the ability to manipulate the minds of others. You might see it differently, but I saved you all that day." he said, and they seemed even closer to attacking the aloof archer.

"You think that Wade was something we needed to be protected from!? You didn't even know him!" Hapi shouted, and Cetanu looked to Abaddon. He found it rather impressive how calm he was, despite the fact that there were four Blood Demons on the edge of their civility, bearing fangs at him. "Do you ever wonder who put the hit out on him?" he asked, and they all hesitated for a second.

Abaddon sighed, feeling a phantom pain in his scar as he shook his head. "The job that we took, to come down here and kill Wade, was given to us by the Emperor of Adrestia." he said, and they all seemed rather shocked, including Cetanu.

This was the first that the Fleshcrafter had heard of this as well. He knew they got the job, but he never knew from who. "And why would the damn Emperor ask you to kill him?" Yuri asked, inching ever closer to Abaddon.

"Because he knew the Emperor's secret." he said, and Cetanu narrowed his eyes. "I was unaware of this as well. What secret?" he asked, and Abaddon sighed. He knew that Jeralt would be furious about this, and he didn't really want Cetanu to find this out, especially with the monster he'd become.

"That he has a bastard child. Someone who could usurp the throne from Edelgard or stake a claim at the Empire should he and Edelgard both fall." he said, and they all didn't expect to hear that. It was enough to diffuse them, and calm them down to the point where they'd hear out the archer.

"I understand that he was a figure you all cared for, believed in and trusted. But we were simply men doing our job, and I only acted as I did out of rage at the loss of a close friend. I had to bury my friend and tell his family about it, and it brought me enough grief to lash out against this demon." he said, rolling his shoulders.

"I understand if you do not wish for me to be here in Abyss, or if you do not wish to associate with me or my brothers in arms. However, do know that you four weren't his only Blood Demons." he said, and they all frowned at that, their inhuman hearts skipping a beat.

"Every Blood Demon we've ever hunted as Jeralt's Mercenaries were connected to Wade. He was a very old Demon, and it was only because of the fact that I have a Mastery over my Crest that I was able to come out with my life." he said, and they didn't take kindly to that.

"You tried to wipe all of us out as well, we didn't forget that." Constance said, and Abaddon rose a brow. "What are you talking about? You were all children when Wade died. Perhaps he used his powers as a Madman to mess up all of our minds, but I remember the four of you. Young children and teens, terrified and greatly saddened at the loss of your mentor. We sent you all home as well, so if you find this sequences of events to be incorrect, I can ask Lillith and Beelzebub to tell you as well." he said.

They all went silent, finding this rather hard to believe. Cetanu knew that they needed this, a chance to hear Abaddon's side of the story, the sequence of events he remembered and knew. He couldn't become their ally in truth if they were already plotting to strike out against his brothers. If even one of them would desire to kill Abaddon after this, he knew that he'd have to take action personally.

"Say we believe you, and Wade was a bad guy. That doesn't change the fact that we cared about him and you killed him." Balthus said, and Abaddon nodded, bowing slightly. "I am aware. I knew that his death would hurt Abyss, which is why I adapted the name and made anonymous donations and recommendations over the years." he said, and Balthus sighed. He hated being the most gullible, but he could tell that this man was genuine.

"I'm going to find someone to punch. This is making me think too much." he grumbled, scratching the back of his head as he exited the room. Hapi soon followed, simply frowning as she departed. Constance also left, Cetanu watching her venomous gaze never leave Abaddon.

"You're the leader, Yuri. Whatever you say goes. If you want Abaddon to leave, just say so." Cetanu said, and Yuri looked to the archer. "Why do you have the Crest of Aubin?" he asked, and Abaddon narrowed his emerald eye before blinking, realizing that this had to do with the fact that Cetanu mentioned his Crest as well. "You were born with it, yes?" he asked, and Yuri nodded.

Abaddon sighed, shaking his head. "Did you know your father?" he asked, and Yuri narrowed his eyes before shaking his head. "Then it makes sense to me. You see, the reason that I always accepted any job that had to do with Blood Demons, including dangerous solo missions, is because one is responsible for the death of my family." he said, shaking his head. He hated talking about this.

"The demon in question is an Artist from Faerghus. He was responsible, indirectly, for the death of my parents. You see, he seduced and Embraced my brother. And my brother went berserk and Frenzied, killing our parents before he fled. I tracked him for year after year, after year. I found him and killed him eventually, but I could only assume that he managed to either turn someone or have a child in the process." he said, and Yuri could feel his world stop.

"So you're saying that my father was… your brother?" he asked, and Abaddon shrugged. "It's possible. The only reason I say this is because you have the same Crest as our family, Al Aubin, descendants of the Holy Apostle, Saint Aubin. And, you are the same kind of Blood Demon as the man responsible for my brother's turning and the death of my parents. As far as I can gauge, you're likely my nephew."

Cetanu found Abaddon's inability to be phased by anything rather impressive. It was odd, how you might have found your nephew, a living relative that was hidden underground, and not human, and not reacted. It was very interesting to see how a human like Abaddon chose to not use his emotions, or how well he kept them in check.

Yuri shook his head, slowly beginning to walk away, Cetanu catching the Artist by the arm before he left the room. He cast him his odd bluish gaze and smiled softly. "You don't need to deal with this alone. If you need someone to vent to, I am here." he said, and Yuri nodded absentmindedly before walking off.

Abaddon looked to the younger mercenary. "That was oddly… loving of you." he said, and Cetanu chuckled. "I'm in a very good mood, Abaddon. Because I was able to learn so much today. Now, why don't we get something to eat, and you can tell me all about that bastard child of the Emperor's?"


	28. Jude 23

As the days before their mission passed, Cetanu found himself weighing his options. He had been introduced to someone that was assigned to accompany them, a man named Gilbert.

He was an older man, with long orange hair and a study frame that was accustomed to swinging a large axe and wielding a shield, something that he had witnessed when the man trained with Dedue. However, he had spoken to Dimitri, and learned something rather interesting about Gilbert.

Apparently the man was actually Gustave Dominic, Annette's father. Apparently after the death of King Lambert, the Knight resigned from his position and began to wander about, leaving his family behind, feeling a sense of shame. Cetanu was glad to have a friendly face here, but the issue was actually in the numbers.

He had no idea how many thugs, rogues and bandits Miklan had at his disposal atop his own training and survival skills. Cetanu realized that they might be just as overwhelmed in terms of numbers as Zanado, and he would like to avoid any missing organs. And then there was the other glaring issue.

They were short one. Ingrid had left, and over the days and weeks she seemed more comfortable and happy around the Eagles, while still being nervous whenever Cetanu or Ashe were in the area. She seemed alright around Victor however, and Cetanu wondered how she'd react if she found out exactly what Victor was.

He wondered how he'd patch up the lack of numbers he had, and he came to a single conclusion. With his brothers scattered on mission after mission, and his father far too important and busy to accompany him on a simple bandit extermination, he realized that he'd have to ask for help from an outside organization.

His first thought was to ask Claude, as the flamboyant archer was rather fond of Ashe, and would likely make a good teammate for Dimitri should Ashe be otherwise occupied. He knew that Victor was out of the equation, as the War Ghoul was far too concerned with random things about the Monastery, acting as Cetanu's eyes and ears in essence.

So, this led him tonight now, his feet carrying him through the underground streets of Abyss. He had already decided that Constance wasn't of much interest to him, and that Hapi's odd monster summoning would be a bit of a problem. This left Balthus and Yuri, and he was wondering if he'd be able to get either of them to work with him.

He assumed that Balthus would attract attention, supposedly being a man with many bounty hunters after him and such. He figured that he'd ask anyway, wondering what kind of response he'd get. He was glad to find the two standing aside, placing a bet on quarreling drunks for some reason.

"Quite the way to pass the time." he said, and they looked to him, Balthus keeping a smile on his face. His smile soon vanished however, one of the drunk men being struck in the face with a mug and hitting the ground. Cetanu guessed that whatever the wager was, Balthus lost because of that.

"Damn it!" he cursed, glancing to the other Blood Demon. "What's up? You normally don't come alone." he mused, and Cetanu nodded, watching the drunks be carried off as the situation diffused and everyone went their separate ways.

"I was wondering if the two of you would like to accompany me as… extra bodies on our next mission." he said, and the two glanced to each other. "That's quite the offer. Why does someone like you need our help?" he asked, and the blue haired demon looked to the taller man.

"I'm not sure how much you know, but one of my students left my class once she figured out what me and Ashe were. My class is supposed to wrestle a Hero's Relic from a disowned noble in a week, and I was wondering if one of you, or both, would be willing to fill that empty space. Of course, I could always negotiate you becoming a full fledged member of my class." he said, and they looked to him like he was insane.

"You think that you can convince Rhea to put us on the books? I don't think so Bud." Balthus stated, and Cetanu looked to him. "Me and Rhea are...close. The only obstacle would be her stooge, Seteth." he mused, more to himself. Balthus sighed.

"It all sounds pretty good, but I'm gonna have to pass. It's a bit much for me. If you want me to take out a guy incognito, or for a nice sum of gold, sure, but being a chaperon for some kids isn't my style." he said, and Cetanu nodded, his eyes passing to Yuri.

He noticed that the Artist was rather quiet, as if he was pondering something. This was infact a chance for him to interact with the Prince of Faerghus directly, and of course to be around the other Blood Demons. He loved his fellow Ashen Wolves, but they did get a bit boring after a while.

"You mentioned a Hero's Relic. Which one?" he asked, and Cetanu hummed. "The Gautier House Relic, the one called The Lance Of Ruin. Apparently Sylvain's older brother snagged it and holed himself up in Fraldarius territory after being disowned. We are supposed to wrench it from his corpse." he said, and Yuri rose a brow.

"And how does Sylvain feel about this?" he asked, and Cetanu shrugged. "He's unreadable recently. I can tell that he's torn. Part of him wants to feel bad that he's being put in the place of an executioner for his brother, who he pities, but he also wants to do this because of how much of a thug his brother has become. It's odd." he mused, his brow raising.

Cetanu could always try and persuade his purple haired friend. "Of course, I'm sure it's nothing you couldn't remedy. Us Fleshcrafters aren't the best at comforting people, what with the flesh crafting and all." he mused, and Yuri hummed.

"Will you allow me to feed from him if I get hungry?" he asked, and Cetanu tilted his head. "Why would you ask me? I'm not the one being drank from. You need to ask Sylvain." he said, his protective instincts flaring slightly.

"If you wish to feed from one of my students, you may. However, if I find out that you did so without their consent, I will penalize you." he said, and Yuri narrowed his eyes. What did he mean by that? "Is that a threat?" he asked.

Cetanu's dull colored eyes were locked on Yuri. "It is not. It is a statement. You are free to do as you please, but if you don't ask them if they are alright with it before you feed, and I find out, I will take those beautiful features of yours and twist them, and wring you out like a wet towel."

With there being an hour before the next class started with the Monastery's specialized Combat Professor, Jeritza Von Hrym, the students were all gathered for lunch, finding the day to be rather pleasant. However, they all thought something was a bit odd.

Everyone had heard about the mission that the Lions were assigned, and both the Golden Deer and the Black Eagle found Sylvain's attitude to be odd. He was incredibly calm, and even still flirtatious, when they assumed that he'd be as shaken up as Ashe was when they were sent when they were sent to Gaspard. It was rather odd to see someone react so little to the statement that in a week, they'd be sent to kill their own brother.

This odd focus was broken by the footsteps of Cetanu, who was accompanied by a beautiful young man with purple hair, his well structured uniform complimenting his bright eyes, his figure lean but one that was obviously used to combat.

"I'm surprised that your big plan is to waltz into the Audience Chamber." Yuri said, and Cetanu looked to him as they passed by the Golden Deer, Cetanu offering Claude a nod. "It's a habit of mine actually. Makes Seteth pretty mad sometimes." he mused, the duo slowing down when they got to the Black Eagles' table.

Cetanu ran a hand along the edge of the table, his eyes passing over all of them to rest on Edelgard. "Afternoon, Princess. I trust that you've been putting our training to use?" he mused. Yuri found this rather unusual, but he wasn't aware of all of the details.

Firstly, Bernadetta was engaged to Dimitri, and Ferdinand was bound to Cetanu as a 'Revenant'. He had placed two weights on the Princess without her noticing, his knowledge of a third weight something that brought him immense amusement.

The girl narrowed her eyes slightly, nodding to the demon. "I have, Professor. Is this a new student of yours?" she asked, her eyes passing to Yuri, both of them locking their lavender eyes. Cetanu wondered if Yuri's magicks, those that Artists specialized in, would work on someone like Edelgard.

"You could call him that. This is my friend Abaddon's nephew, Yuri Al Aubin. He was working as a mercenary in Fraldarius territory to scout out Miklan's hideouts and do a headcount. He's… a special student of mine, much like Ashe." he said, and he watched the emotions pass over Edelgard's face.

"Pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I hope we'll have a chance to get to know each other better." he said, casting a lecherous gaze to the future Emperor. Cetanu looked to his fellow demon, the duo having quite the chemistry when it came to situations like this, where they made people guess what they were.

"I would also like to thank you for the reading materials you acquired for me. they've been a big help now that I've… encountered four more of those things." he said, and his eyes moved to Ingrid.

He saw the fear in her face, and he knew that she understood the meaning behind his words. He thought it was rather amusing, honestly, but a part of him was kind of sad. He'd gone from nurturing the young pegasus knight to taunting her new classmates and scaring her. He briefly wondered if he was the monster she viewed him as.

The trip to the Audience Chamber was rather amusing to Cetanu. He found himself happy in some fashion most of the time, and he liked that. He was glad that the emotion he experienced the most was a positive one, as his life was filled with so much negativity.

He looked back to Yuri as they walked the last hall towards the steps to the second floor. "Tell me, how many lives have you taken?" he asked, and Yuri looked to him, finding the question rather odd. "I never kept count. I'd assume a hundred or two. Why does it matter?" he asked, and Cetanu sighed. He wanted to find another kindred spirit, and he realized that with the amount of death he'd seen in his life, that would be rather hard. "I was only wondering." he mused, more to himself.

"What about you? The tales I hear about you say that you almost enjoy killing people." he said, and Cetanu frowned at that. He didn't actually enjoy ending lives, it was just something he'd done so much that it no longer bothered him. It wasn't something he wanted to do, or enjoyed.

"I don't enjoy it. Death and violence only beget more death and violence, Yuri. The only thing I can do is simply walk the path that the Goddess has made for me from the bodies of those she deemed unworthy to kill me." he said, and Yuri blinked.

That was quite an odd way to look at it. Two people fighting to the death, and he viewed the winner as the one who was better to the Goddess? That people died in battle against him not because he was essentially a war machine, but because the Goddess liked him more? What an odd man. "So the stories don't like about you killing thousands of men, huh?" he asked, the Artist seeing an odd sadness in Cetanu's eyes as he shook his head.

When Rhea watched Cetanu enter the Audience Chamber, she noted that he didn't have his normal swagger, his sarcastic snark that irked Seteth so. Instead, he held a more serious aura, a slightly sad look in his eyes as he approached her and dropped to one knee.

"Your Grace, I have found someone I wish to accompany us on our mission. This is my brother Abaddon's nephew, Yuri Al Aubin." he said, and Rhea cast her gaze from her devout professor to the young man he brought with him.

When she looked to him, she immediately recognized what he was. She wasn't oblivious to the obvious, and it was obvious that this purple haired child wasn't human. She could almost smell it on him. He reminded her of someone she'd long forgotten, someone who was always enraptured with that which was deemed beautiful.

"Professor, I'm not sure what your plan is here, but I'm not a fool." she said, and Cetanu smiled while his face was still obscured by his down turned head his and hanging hair. He rose to his feet slowly. "What do you mean, My Lady?" he asked, Yuri rather hesitant.

He could feel a wave of negative emotion, almost a torrent of killing intent coming from the white garbed Archbishop. She was without Seteth at this time, the blue garbed man normally her primary guard, and the primary thing that kept her from acting on her own.

"I am fully aware that this young man is a Blood Demon." he said, and Cetanu held back a smile. There it was. Proof that she knew what he was talking about all those moons ago, when he first asked her about it. He inhaled, realizing that this was his moment.

"I am aware of that. However, I believe that he is someone who could be an asset to me, the Blue Lions, and to the Monastery as well." he said, and Yuri looked to him. "I never agreed to helping out the Church." he said, trying to keep his composure.

Cetanu glanced back to him, a smile on his face before he looked to Rhea and bowed. "I would like to request your permission to have him join my class on this mission." he said, and she inhaled. "Are you aware of what Blood Demons are, and what they can do, Professor?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Of course. I am aware that Yuri is an Artist, and that he poses no threat to those that can resist his charms. Of course, he doesn't need fancy magicks to charm me." he said jokingly, Rhea finding Cetanu's ever shifting attitude odd.

He had a similar attitude all those moons ago when he returned to the Monastery, after he'd healed young Ashe. She hesitated, feeling a chill run down her ancient spine. If he knew of Blood Demons, all the way down to what clan this purple haired boy was from, then he must have had a Blood Demon help, or even Embrace Ashe.

"Say I grant you this permission. How can you guarantee that you can control this demon?" she asked, and Cetanu smiled. "I am stronger than him. I wield the Sword of the Creator and greater magick than he has right now. However, I must be completely honest and make a request." he said, and Yuri looked to him.

"You aren't serious?" he asked, and Cetanu looked to him, an odd look on his features. "If this mission goes well, and we return with no casualties, I would like to request your permission to add Yuri Al Aubin, Balthus Von Albrecht, Hapi and Constance Von Nuvelle, the group known as the Ashen Wolves, to my class. I trust them, and have tested them, and would like to make them official students of mine."

Rhea's composure slipped. Her eyes cast Cetanu a deathly glare, something that made Cetanu's face spread in a huge grin, the veins in her hands rising to the surface as her intertwined fingers turned a bright white. Cetanu could feel it. This was the warrior within, the almost deitic combatant that he so wished he could fight. He'd thought about her almost every day, and he wanted nothing more than for her to strike him right now.

"So...you are aware of Abyss, Professor?" she asked, and he nodded. "I have. We Blue Lions have visited often to provide whatever aid we can and such. The only other aware of Abyss to my knowledge are Claude and Hilda. No one else outside of my class is aware of Abyss or that the Ashen Wolves are Blood Demons." he said, and she sighed, trying to calm down.

"And was it one of them that cursed Ashe Ubert of his deathly illness and wound?" she asked, and Cetanu looked her in the eyes, their eyes sharing a similar gaze in different colors. "It was not. None of the Wolves possess that power." he stated, and she frowned.

She had to take a risk to learn exactly what happened. She wanted to know, much like everyone else, but she wanted to know who it was because they were likely responsible for all of the odd occurrences in the Holy Tomb.

"I will grant this request on one condition." she said, and Yuri blinked. It worked? The woman wanted to kill them mere moments ago, and now she was willing to agree to Cetanu's ridiculous request? Exactly how good was this guy?

"Who healed Ashe Ubert? His miraculous recovery has sowed discord in members of the Church, who are afraid that the Goddess is favoring a street urchin from Gaspard instead of the Church faithful." she said. Cetanu inhaled.

"The one who healed Ashe was a Fleshcrafter. A child born directly from the ancient Blood Demon called 'The Fiend'. He was healed by the Embrace and his arm was restored via Fleshcrafting." he said, and she narrowed her eyes.

She assumed as much. The Fiend was her first child, her least sophisticated and yet closest to successful attempt at reviving her poor mother. To hear that this monster, this formless, vile creature had taken the form of a human female and given birth was rather upsetting. This child would have to be dealt with sooner or later.

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed it actually, My Lady." Cetanu said, and she snapped out of her trance, looking to him. "Ashe's recovery, the Holy Tomb, and now this? Surely you can connect these dots?" he asked, and she narrowed her eyes. What exactly did all of those things have in common?

The realization hit her like a divine bolt of lightning. "You don't mean..." she trailed and Cetanu nodded, dropping to one knee and bowing before her again. "Of course, My Lady. Perhaps you were unaware when you did it, but the woman that carried Jeralt's child was The Fiend, the progenitor of the Fleshcrafters. My Mother."


	29. Ezra 9:13

Archbishop Rhea simply stared, her eyes never leaving the blue haired young man that stood before her. She had forgotten where she stood, that the ebon mercenary had brought a Blood Demon with him, or that it was the middle of the day. She simply could not take her eyes or mind off of his face, his fingers… off of him.

She didn't often speak of it, but she had delivered this child herself. She had helped Jeralt's poor, sickly wife birth this child, and at her request, gave him what little she had left to give, the both of them at death's door, sweating from the heat of the Eternal Flames. How could _she_ of all people have missed this?

Jeralt had met and courted a woman with hunter green hair named Ethniu, who he affectionately called 'Etty' or 'Etta'. How in all of the days of him parading her around the Monastery, marrying her, loving and caring for her and spending his days with her, had she missed that Ethniu wasn't human? Not only not human, but the single farthest thing from it?

Did Jeralt know? Was her former Captain of the Knights aware that he had courted and procreated with the single creature that she wanted dead? Did he do it to spite her? Her mind was racing at a mile a minute, and it all came down to one thing.

Cetanu.

Regardless of any of the other variables, it all led to right here, right now. The young man in front of her was a Fleshcrafter, a direct descendant of Ethniu, her oldest and most vile childe. If she struck him down now, and his purple haired friend, she could grow closer and closer to ridding herself and Fodlan of these demons.

"Yuri, give us the room."

The words came from Cetanu, who commanded the other demon with an oddly dire tone. Sensing the volatile air in the room, he bowed and quickly obliged, fully aware that most of his inhuman abilities weren't meant for combat, but manipulation and seduction. He was a lover, not a fighter.

With the room to themselves, the two of them simply stood and stared at each other. Within seconds, Cetanu reached for his hip, pulling the Sword of the Creator and inhaling. It was all done slowly, so that Rhea could follow him.

He slammed the bony blade into the ground, snapping his mantle off as he reached for his waist. He pulled the blue dagger, his anchor, from his waist and laid it on the ground slowly, atop his mantle. All the while, the two of them never broke eye contact. The pair of earthy orbs, one blue and one green, simply stared at each other like trees looking over a lake that could do naught but reflect the trees' form.

Standing uninhibited and unable to call upon the power of the strongest weapon in all of Fodlan, Cetanu simply continued to stare.

He watched as Rhea slowly followed suit, dropping her cape to the ground and removing her elaborate head dress, placing both in a neat pile on the ground. She was garbed in but her long, formfitting white gown, but Cetanu could tell that the attire wouldn't hinder her. He knew better than that.

The door behind Cetanu opened, and he made no motion to turn away from Rhea, to break eye contact. He simply flexed his nostrils once, able to smell that the person who entered the room was nervous, young and human. It was likely some servant or clergyman who was confused as to why the ex-mercenary professor of the Blue Lions was standing across from the Archbishop, both of them missing a layer of clothing, tension hanging in the air.

"L-Lady Rhea?"

The voice was meek and worried, holding a tone that belied it's origin and allowed Cetanu to learn about the speaker. A child, male, short, and Almyran. Odd that there would be an Almyran servant who sounded so incredibly worried about the woman sitting atop the land that held back his own so greatly. It was almost amusing to him.

"It's all right Cyril. I just need to have a word with the Professor."

Her tone was soft, motherly as always, and her lips spread in a smile, despite her eyes never leaving the fleshcrafting demon. A nervous whimper, and then a grunt. Soon, the door closed, the room devoid of any other lifeforms.

Cetanu allowed his fingers to roll, flexing them in anticipation. He inhaled one more time, his lips slowly spreading into a smile. He was looking forward to this.

Pain erupted through his jaw.

Cetanu grunted, crashing into a wall and bouncing off, rebounding to his feet and taking a fighting stance out of pure instinct, seeing Rhea standing in the same spot, her hands folded in the same fashion. Cetanu narrowed his eyes. Was she truly that fast?

He wasn't buying it, approaching slowly and switching stances to a more fluid, defensive stance, his hands open and ready to parry any attack that came his way. He watched Rhea carefully, his eyes looking for even the slightest shift. If even a hair on her body moved, he'd be able to see it.

Or at least he thought.

Lurching backwards on instinct, he watched Rhea's leg fly over his face. He cursed, rolling with the momentum to stand on his hands, pushing himself backwards as he flipped upright, the sight of Rhea's knuckles meeting him as he stood straight.

He put his arms up to block the attack, pain erupting through his forearms as he slid further back, closer to the door. He hadn't gotten in a shred of offense, his decades of physical training and constant combat meaning nothing as he struggled to defend himself against one woman.

He spread his arms to the side, balling his fists and darting forward. He threw a right cross, and Rhea simply caught his hand in hers, twisting it outwards. The Fleshcrafter grit his teeth at the pain, his arm rotating at the wrist up to the shoulder, twisting in the wrong direction as Cetanu slid himself forward, his elbow connecting with her chest and pushing her back.

She watched his arm return to normal, spinning like a wheel as it put the bones and flesh back into place in the blink of an eye, the fingers on his right hand rolling once more. She watched as Cetanu balled his fists, inhaling and charging her again, this time loosing a high left kick.

She brought up her right leg, blocking the attack with her shin before swinging her leg at the knee, wrapping it around his calf and twisting her body to the side.

Cetanu came off his feet, throwing through the air and sent into another wall. When he slid down, he noticed a small draconic statue on a pedestal, grabbing the stony lizard and whirling it at the woman to distract her. He was able to pick the pedestal up and charge Rhea by time she shattered the statue with her fist.

He swung the pillar like a massive club, the woman hopping in place and landing atop it, using her weight to force it to the ground. Cetanu dropped it, her left foot heading right at his face.

He used his forearm to block the attack, her foot weaving around his arm and jabbing at his chest. He used his opposite hand to catch her ankle, twisting and sending her off the pillar. She used the momentum to her advantage, kicking him in the chest with her opposite foot while airborne. He loosed her ankle and slid back as she rolled to her feet herself.

Rhea made the first move this time, closing in and throwing a left jab. Cetanu stepped back, lifting his left leg to throw a high kick. Rhea blocked with her right forearm, jabbing forward and striking Cetanu in the chest. He hopped off his remaining foot and flipped, using his right leg to try and kick Rhea. He only succeeded in breaking her guard for a split second.

He surged forth after returning to his feet, leading off with a right jab. He finally struck home, his knuckles finding purchase on the Archbishop's jaw, the mercenary watching anger run across her face. She rebounded and loosed a massive right cross, and Cetanu could see what appeared to be white scales across her fist and wrist.

He used his right forearm to block, pushing her fist down and making her lurch closer, where he shoved her back with a shoulder block before shifting his posture to throw a high right side kick. Rhea managed to recover quickly, catching his leg and wrapping her left arm around his calf.

Her opposite hand grabbed a handful of his shirt, pressing him up high before she fell forward and slammed him to the ground.

Cetanu felt the wind vanish from his lungs and his vision blank before he took notice of their position, his agile legs catching the Archbishop in a triangle choke, Cetanu applying even more pressure by using his right leg to hook under Rhea's abdomen as well, the woman wheezing and gritting her teeth as she cast him a deathly glare.

She shifted her lower body, pressing her legs with her knees and shifting her weight. Her feet were finally flat on the ground, and she began using the muscles in her legs and lower back to begin pulling her upper body up. It felt like a painfully slow process, but she managed to stand upright, again pressing Cetanu overhead before driving him to the ground for a second time.

The second impact took Cetanu's vision for a split second, Rhea freeing herself from his grip and standing over him, lifting her left leg and bringing it down, trying to drive her heel through Cetanu's skull.

The dazed mercenary wouldn't give in, catching her heel in his right hand and shoving down, curling his left leg before kicking her in the knee, taking her other leg out from under her. She recovered from the shock quickly, falling with her fist clenched and arm bent, ready to slice Cetanu's face with a quick elbow.

Cetanu rolled to the side, Rhea's elbow finding nothing but the ground, the mercenary pushing himself back toward Rhea while spinning, trying to drive his right knee into the small of her back. The Archbishop took her turn rolling, only she twisted while rolling forward, giving her a much better advantage.

She slammed her right knee into Cetanu's skull, his neck snapping back as she reached forward, grabbing his arms by the elbows and lifting him.

Cetanu flipped with the momentum, sitting atop the Archbishop's shoulders before flipping back, flinging the green haired woman overhead. She twisted with the momentum and landed on her feet at the same time as Cetanu, the duo both turning around and throwing high left kicks at the same time.

Their shins collided, a lower kick from the same leg following, and then a mid kick. The duo continued to throw kicks with the same leg in the same direction, their minds almost in sync as they continued to wage war.

Both legs hit the ground at the same time, Cetanu stomping forward with a double fisted strike. Rhea stepped back, pressing her right hand on Cetanu's extended arm to vault herself into the air, right over and behind the ebon garbed mercenary.

She swung her right fist, Cetanu ducking on instinct, pressing his hands to the ground and jabbing his legs back. Rhea leaped forward rolling over Cetanu and twisting as he returned to his feet. The Fiend simply watched her, all shreds of his previous human like emotion long gone. In this moment, he was once again the war machine he grew up as. Only, he had a smile on his face.

Rhea made the next move, throwing a high left kick. Cetanu moved to parry the attack, block it and then strike, but he shifted his body at the last second, stepping forward and wrapping his right arm around her thigh in and underhook grip, pressing her above himself and grabbing her other leg.

Rhea could feel her heart race in her chest, her fingers moving to jab Cetanu in the eye, claw as his ears, something to stop the impending impact. Her aim was shaken by him pressing her even higher into the air, the added height giving her a little more leeway. She snapped her legs at his shoulder blades, shaking his grip as she fell to the ground, landing on her feet.

She slammed both of her fists into his chest, the force making him stumble back. She whirled around, using all of the force she could muster to throw a spinning right heel kick. She wanted to land this strike so bad. She wanted to see the monster's skull smashed beneath her heel.

Her heart lurched in her chest when he weaved below the attack. He rose up, his fists balled, his posture tensed for a massive strike of some form, and suddenly… he stopped.

Rhea froze as well, confused as to why he wouldn't strike her. She made the first move, struck the first blow. She slammed him into a wall, pressed and slammed him both multiple times amongst other strikes. She got in far more offense, and bar her last miss, she had his number the entire time. Why stop?

She watched him diffuse, walking past her and collecting his mantle, his dagger, and the Sword of the Creator. He inhaled deeply before turning to her and simply dropping to one knee. He bowed his head and pressed one fist to the ground, saying nothing before he simply rose to his feet and departed.

She could feel her hands twitch. Why did he just leave? Why didn't he strike her down? Capture her? Why didn't he at the least _explain_ himself? Who did he think he was? He was just an inhuman beast that owed his life to her, that owed _everything_ to her. He had no right to deny her a proper defeat, or even an explanation. She was the one closest to the Goddess, none had the right to deny her anything.

Cetanu stood in a forest, far, far away from the Monastery. He needed to be alone, without his students, brothers in arms, his progeny. He needed this solitude. Even his inner Fiend and Sothis both ignored him at this moment, his emotions far too out of control.

He threw his head back and roared, a monstrous bellow that shook the ground around him, scattering birds and animals far and wide. That battle wasn't supposed to go that way. It was the greatest match he'd ever had, and suddenly, he was going to win. All he had to do was finish throwing his body into that last leaping knee strike and he'd have defeated Rhea.

He didn't _want_ that. He wanted her to defeat him, give him something to strive towards. If he could defeat Rhea, even once out of a hundred times, than he wouldn't be satisfied. He couldn't be this powerful. He even avoided using weapons or his magick, albeit the one instance. He needed to push Rhea to attack him with everything she had. He needed to see her in her full glory.

He stared at the night sky, frowning. His chest heaved as he began to breath again, realizing that he needed to focus on his mission. He needed to fight Miklan, wrest the lance from him and return to the Monastery to celebrate with his students. He began to walk back towards Garreg Mach with a rather upsetting thought on his mind.

All he wanted was for someone to defeat him, somehow, someway.


	30. Ezekiel 3:19

The trip towards Fraldarius territory was incredibly unsettling for all of the Blue Lions, along with Yuri, who was an honorary member for this mission. The Artist was rather surprised that Rhea granted Cetanu's request, but if the Professor's silence and odd lack of emotion was anything to go off of, it cost him.

The Professor rode ahead, his eyes looking at nothing in particular as he simply rode on, his mind unable to even focus on the breathing of the long haired horse he was sitting atop. His mind was racing, shifting between it's own thoughts and conversing with the other personalities in his mind. He was convinced that he was completely insane, and that Sothis and his Inner Fiend were both fragments of his whole personality. The figurative angel and devil on his shoulders.

He wanted nothing more than to return to happier days, because the days between his fight with the Archbishop and now were filled with little enjoyment. He had continued to function, surely, training and teaching as needed, but in his spare time, he simply sat in his room staring at nothing. He didn't even go to the training hall.

For the first time in his life, he didn't want to fight.

It was rather odd to him, and he struggled to deal with the thoughts and actions that accompanied it. He was always prepared for a fight, training, conditioning himself, strategizing or something. However, he suddenly felt no reason to do that. Rhea was his goal, his ambition, his hurdle to overcome. He was very, very sad to see that he could overcome it so quickly. He was without aim, like a beast with no master.

"Are you all right, Professor?"

His head turned in the sound of the voice, noticing that Dimitri had caught up to him, the mercenary casting his eyes to the others, fully aware that Ashe and Yuri would be able to hear what they said if they strained their ears even a little. However, with the fact that he couldn't be bothered to care, Cetanu found himself looking to his 'House Leader'.

Dimitri had a soft look on his handsome features, showing a genuine concern that Cetanu could appreciate. It wasn't often that something like this happened, prey showing concern for an apex predator. Cetanu found it the slightest bit amusing.

"I will be fine, Dimitri. I am simply thinking."

"About? Perhaps I can be of assistance."

Cetanu looked to him, that hopeful look in his bright blue eyes, Cetanu inhaling and sighing, shaking his head slightly.

"I had the oddest thought a few days ago. Tell me, have you ever desired to be humbled, outsmarted or even defeated in combat?"

The confusion on Dimitri's face told the demon that he hadn't. Dimitri was naturally humble, but having a desire to be bested was truly odd, even for someone like him. Something had to have caused his teacher to think this way, right?

"What could have happened that made you think so bleakly? Did you get into a fight with Captain Jeralt?"

Cetanu chuckled, a smirk on his features for the first time in what felt like ages. He was a Blood Demon pondering how to use his immortality, and the Prince of Faerghus thought he was fighting with his father? That was rather amusing to him.

"Hardly. Do you remember when I told you that Lady Rhea was a warrior without equal?"

Dimitri blinked, barely remembering that offhanded conversation they had almost two months ago. He remembered it because of Cetanu's desire to engage the Archbishop in combat.

"You… you didn't try and engage in combat with the _Archbishop_, did you?"

Cetanu only stared at him with his murky blue eyes, the clicks of their horses' hooves reaching their ears.

"I did. And despite being tossed around like a ragdoll and beaten like an unwanted stepchild, I was victorious. It has left me aimless."

Dimitri found himself blinking again as they continued to ride on. The Professor had _defeated_ the Archbishop in single combat, and that was what caused his recent state of gloom? Because he didn't have anyone he wanted to fight?

"Forgive me, but I think you're being rather silly, Professor."

Cetanu furrowed his brow, finding that comment rather unexpected. He wasn't offended, but surprised that Dimitri came to such a conclusion.

"What makes you say such?"

"Well, you still have plenty to strive for. Bernadetta says that you're very passionate about our growth. Even the other students outside of our class seem jealous of you. She says that you spoke to Ferdinand about a grandiose plan."

Cetanu chuckled. He was rather surprised at Dimitri, who was taking his turn helping and talking sense into the demon. He remembered his hesitation in Gaspard, glad to see the progress he made, from hesitant to protect his own life to calling a flesh sculpting demon 'childish' to his face. It was the king of growth Cetanu loved to see.

"The Path of Metamorphosis. The Fleshcrafter desire to constantly made things better, to have constant evolution and growth. Be it your knowledge or combat experience, the goal is to grow into a creature with complete mastery over the physical form. It's rather interesting to me."

He was surprised, glad to see that he could still hold a casual conversation. He was ever so slightly worried about regressing, his mental state making him devolve back to his previous state of being where he was a stone faced killer, not a loving Professor that just so happened to not be human.

Dimitri held a slightly puzzled look on his face, and Cetanu realized that he was allowing himself to simply relax. His posture had slouched ever so slightly, his blank face softening and his brow's furrow disappearing.

"I can't speak for all of us, but I'd very much appreciate you continuing along this path. I was unsuccessful at the mock battle, but I hope that I'll be of more use at the Battle of the Eagle and Lion." he stated, and Cetanu blinked.

He hadn't been the most focused on the happenings of the Monastery, especially recently, but he had heard of the grand mock battle. Held months from now, the three classes, along with their Professors, would be tasked with commanding troops, organizing battle formations and so on. Cetanu was interested in this, as he knew that most of his students weren't the type to lead.

He smiled, raising a brow and casting a gaze to the Prince. "You'll be fine as long as you listen to me." he said, chuckling to himself.

He was glad that Dimitri reached out to him, because it allowed him to refocus himself. He realized that his thoughts were far too self centered. He had far, far more pressing issues to worry about. They were coming upon the tower that Miklan and his bandits were holed up in, and he noticed that it was rather tall, and rather alone in this field.

He halted the group, his eyes scanning the tower for windows, gates, the roof. He wanted to know as much as possible before he sent his students in. Dismounting his horse, he waited for all of his students to do the same.

He glanced to them, seeing that they all changed their garb, their uniforms left behind in favor of more combat oriented clothing, leather trousers that allowed more mobility and short sleeved shirts made from wools and other dense material, hide armor about their arms and legs in various fashions. They all bore some form of weapon, ready to engage in physical combat if all else failed. He looked back to the tower.

"What do we know about the inhabitants?" he asked, his eyes cast to Gilbert, who stared with a granite gaze.

"We're greatly outnumbered and outmatched in terms of experience and weaponry. Last count from our scouts said that Miklan had one hundred men scattered throughout the tower, likely in various formations to ambush and perform pincer attacks. The top end of the tower, and the roof are all one spiraling room that curves skyward. A fall from that tower is certain death."

Cetanu nodded, his mind kicking back into gear as he thought it over. He needed to move them in groups, chunks of men that could have each other's backs whether they liked it or not.

"We will split in three groups. Gilbert, Mercedes, Annette and Felix, you four will make the rear guard, and we're counting on you to protect and pull back any wounded."

Felix narrowed his eyes, as if he wanted to disagree with the command, but he remained silent. Cetanu knew that the navy haired student was lacking in terms of teamwork, and he disliked that flaw. He wanted to rectify it, to change Felix into a man and a warrior that could work well alone or in a group.

"Ahead of them will be Yuri, Ashe, Dedue and Dimitri. You four make up the bulk of our strength, and will be fighting the most. Don't get yourselves separated or injured, and _don't_ get yourselves killed." he said, and the four of them nodded. Cetanu exchanged a gaze with Yuri, the two Blood Demons both still ever so slightly wary of the other.

"Me and Sylvain will move first. The idea is for us to reach Miklan and defeat him by time you clear them all out. Are we all clear?" he asked, and the all nodded. Cetanu turned to Sylvain, who seemed a bit nervous, hesitant to lead the charge that would end in his brother's defeat, and likely his death.

Cetanu inhaled, realizing that he would have to guide the red haired young man along. He knew that he was kind to him before, telling him that he didn't have to fight Miklan at all, but with his objectives and ideals shifted after his match with Rhea, he decided that what was best for Sylvain's growth was to defeat Miklan himself. Or at the least challenge him.

The duo began to move, the two quartets behind them. Cetanu moved with the Sword of the Creator on his hip, Sylvain sporting a lance made of steel that looked closer to a halberd. It was tied to his back, allowing him to move about without holding the wooden shaft at all times. Cetanu's eyes moved from his student to the tower itself, seeing men line the windows in pairs, aiming bows at them.

"Aerial attack!"

With his call, the group scattered, making their movements erratic to avoid being struck by the raining projectiles. Ashe returned fire, his enhanced, inhuman eyesight allowing him to strike the men without even aiming, the sights of the windows clearing of bodies something that brought Cetanu a sense of peace, even when the men fell forward, out of the windows and to their deaths.

Suddenly, the doors of the tower erupted, and men came pouring out screaming, brandishing weapons and wearing shoddy armor about their bodies. Cetanu inhaled, realizing that any hope of a sneak attack or any kind of surprise attacks were gone, and that instead this would be a test of strength and wills.

"You Church bastards won't get away with this!"

The man who shouted came down with an axe, and Cetanu drew the Sword of the Creator and parried the attack. He kicked the man in the stomach, sending him stumbling back. The demon simply walked past him, slamming the blade into his chest before removing it, parrying another blade before he looked to Sylvain, who was on the losing end of a struggle against a bandit who also wielded a lance.

"Pay attention you bastard!"

Cetanu grit his teeth, not liking that he was distracted from watching his student, flexing his free left hand, swinging his hand as he sculpted his fingertips into blades, tearing through the man's shoddy hide and sending him crashing to the ground in unimaginable pain.

The demon walked over to Sylvain, who had broken the struggle up despite being outmatched. Cetanu sighed, taking the lance from the redhead, who looked to him confused. "When outmatched in terms of strength, use magick or mobility, like this."

The man Sylvain was facing jabbed his lance out, and Cetanu inhaled.

Cetanu twisted the lance in his grip, holding it vertically and blocking the other blade, pushing it to the left as he pressed the lance to the ground, using it like a pole as he vaulted himself forward, kicking the man in the chest. He shifted his grip, holding the lance behind his back with his left hand, his right hand out forward and his posture low. The bandit hesitated to get up, and Cetanu exhaled, lifting his forward right foot, slamming it down, a small spire of earth rising from the ground and piercing the man in the back of the neck.

Cetanu dropped his stance, passing the lance back to his student as he looked to the tower, his eyes passing over the other eight warriors on their side. With two Blood Demons, two mages and multiple warriors that were the caliber of a Royal Knight, he knew that they'd be fine.

His eyes passed back to Sylvain. "Let's move. It's time for your brother to learn an important lesson; never open the door for strangers."


	31. Romans 1:11

Cetanu and Sylvain were beset by more bandits. The demon took this as a chance to train his student and test his abilities. He was plenty strong under the tutelage of Asmodeus, but his previous encounter with a bandit told Cetanu that he lacked the ability to overwhelm those with more strength than him.

He lifted his right forearm, blocking the axe of one of the bandit, his left forearm coming up to parry a sword. He rolled his arms in broad clockwise circles, the force making both bandit stumble forward. Cetanu clenched his fists as he swung outward, striking both men in the face and making them stumble back. His eyes traveled to Sylvain.

The red haired young man followed Cetanu's previous instruction, using magick to make up for any lack of raw power. He hadn't learned much from Asmodeus in terms of the arcane arts, but he had learned a few wind spells that he could use to shift the balance of the battle, literally and figuratively.

He blocked a sword by raising the shaft of his lance skyward, jabbing out his left leg to strike the bandit in the stomach. He inhaled as he spun the lance back to it's normal position, jabbing forward and finding purchase, piercing the man's shoulder. He felt a presence behind him, and he dropped his lance and used a wind spell to force his body backwards, sliding away from a blade that lopped off a few strands of hair.

He stomped forward to throw a left punch, but the bandit simply shoved a shoulder into his chest, making him stumble back. He collided with Cetanu, who simply watched with a blank look across his features. "You're sloppy."

Sylvain looked to the other male, confused as to why _that_ was the criticism he wanted to give. The man with the sword came at them, lifting the shimmering metal high overhead before bringing it down. With Sylvain but a step in front of him, Cetanu parried the blade with his hands, Sylvain kicking the man in the stomach and making him release his weapon.

Cetanu cast the blade to the side, and Sylvain reached forward and grabbed his teacher's extended arm, gritting his teeth and tossing him overhead as hard as he could. The disarmed bandit was taken aback by the fact that the brash redhead would use his own _teacher_ as a projectile.

Cetanu curled into a ball and shifted his weight to spin more as he remained airborne. He looked the bandit in the eyes with that same dead gaze, before exploding from his balled up airborne position, vaulting his legs into the man's chest and driving him into the stone ground, which shattered beneath the force of the two Lions.

The sun was high over the Monastery, and the flaming ball's rays beat down on the Archbishop as she stood on a balcony overlooking her domain. A frown spread across her features at the thought. Was it _really_ her domain?

She'd worked for centuries to make Fodlan into a place that she could control, that she could monitor. Between the behind the scenes machinations of the next Emperor of Adrestia and now Cetanu, she was worried about her hold on the land.

She was in possession of a strong military, and had many powerful allies and Relics at her disposal. She even wondered if she could call upon her brothers Indech and Macuil should things go south. Surely with all of the Four Saints and herself they would be victorious, right?

She shook her head. She hadn't given Edelgard much thought recently. Ever since her confrontation with Cetanu, she found herself focused on the demon. She hated the fact that he was able to defeat her in single combat. If he could defeat her, who else posed a threat to her?

"You wanted to see me?"

She turned to the speaker, her frown still present as she narrowed her eyes at the Captain of the Knights of Seiros. The man was still as much of an imposing force as always, and she felt a little less surprised at her loss when she remembered the fact that _this_ was the man that spawned and raised Cetanu.

"Did you know that Cetanu wasn't human?"

Jeralt's face and body remained still. The question was unusual, possibly the most unusual one you could ask a man out of nowhere, but it didn't seem to phase him much if at all. He simply stared as he tried to decide what to say.

"I'm his Father. Did you think I didn't?"

Rhea's frown remained still. She clenched her fists for a second, trying to remain calm and in control.

"Why not tell me?"

"So you could kill him like you tried to do to Ethniu? She had plenty of stories about how her Mother hated her."

The Archbishop felt her jaw roll. This was _not_ what she wanted. She thought she was through with Blood Demons. That they were behind her, a group of a few dozen stragglers that would be defeated by the uninformed masses striking them down in fear and confusion. Instead, the most difficult of the species was alive and had _biological _children. She didn't even think they could give birth.

"I wouldn't have killed him, Jeralt."

The man sighed, glancing to the bright sky, the blue expanse and chirping birds flying overhead not reflecting his mood or the mood of the conversation.

"Regardless of the fact that I don't believe you, it doesn't mean anything, Rhea. Cetanu isn't some monster. He isn't a danger to anyone or anything unless provoked. Seteth is still alive, isn't he?"

Rhea didn't like this at all. Did she really have no choice but to take Jeralt's word for it? Did she, the most powerful and noteworthy person in all of Fodlan, have no choice but to allow this inhuman beast simply do as he pleased? Was there no way for her to defeat him or control him?

Climbing the tower seemed to be a bit easier than Sylvain initially thought it would be. He knew that he'd made progress and that his teacher was plenty strong, but they breezed through a number of men that the redhead didn't want to think about.

Even so, his mind traveled to his teacher, who walked at his side as they reached the next floor, moving about the tower in an attempt to reach Miklan at the top.

"Hey Professor, can I ask you something?"

Dull bluish eyes looked to him, a familiar blank stare accompanying the nod that he received.

"Do you have siblings, or anyone you consider to be family?"

Cetanu tilted his head. Before he awoke to his inhuman abilities and his human emotions, he would have said his fellow Sins, the five warriors that he was the closest to in his band of mercenaries. But now, he felt like that wasn't true.

He was close to all of them, particularly Abaddon, who was always a mentor to the young demon, but a 'brother'? He doubted that. However, he needed to entertain Sylvain's question, his own curiosity piqued by the conversation.

"Abaddon. He might not be a brother, but he's at the least a close uncle. He's my mentor for the most part." he said, and Sylvain exhaled from his nose, his eyes scanning the tower before they moved on from an empty floor. He closed his eyes, as if deep in thought, before looking back to Cetanu once more.

"What would you do if Abaddon was on the opposite side of the battlefield?"

The question gave the demon pause, if only for a split second. What _would_ he do if any of his trusted allies and friends were on the opposite side of the field from him? He's faced off against them plenty, both in tests of strength and sparring matches. But a true, to the death battle? He hummed to himself.

With his newfound power, could any of them even defeat him? He tilted his head, wondering. He honestly prayed that they could defeat him, even if it took all of them.

"It depends on the situation. If we were on opposing sides of a war, and nothing could salvage our bond, than I would give Abaddon the most glorious death a warrior could desire." he said, and Sylvain blinked. He expected a little more of a pause from such a heavy question.

Cetanu looked to him, as if the question made him think about something else.

"However, if I was clearly the villain, and I allowed my power to corrupt me to the point of turning Abaddon against me, I would pray that he could kill me. I would rather face death than drive others away from me."

The redhead tilted his head in return, surprised at the statement. It was oddly adamant, almost like Cetanu was _afraid_ of being driven insane by his power. Was he really strong enough for that to happen, or was it simply just the fact that he apparently wasn't human?

"To me, there is nothing more powerful than loneliness. That feeling of being segregated, ignored, or being unable to draw others to you is unbearable. I would sooner Fleshcraft whatever was closest to my fingers than be alone. A bird, a fish, a flower, an insect. I would even turn the bark of a tree into something I could talk to."

Sylvain was surprised by Cetanu's words. They were oddly paranoid in tone, almost like the thought was consuming his mind little by little. He wondered what brought it on, be it his demonic existence or something about his past that he was unaware of.

The redhead glanced out one of the windows of the tower, seeing the mountains in the far distance, even the border into the country to the north. He was surprised how far up the tower they'd gotten, noticing a distinct lack of men closest to Miklan atop the tower. Were the rest of the men all waiting for the two of them at the top, or would Cetanu be the sole witness to the death match between the Gautier brothers?

"Did we really get through a hundred men so quickly?" Dimitri asked, a question that made the others in his group wonder. It was unusual, as they could have sworn that a good twenty or thirty men were missing, not counting Miklan himself. However, the prince was glad to have this respite, his breathing still slightly labored from the skirmish.

"It doesn't matter much to me. I'm just glad I didn't break a nail." Yuri said, looking to his fingers as they continued upwards towards the top of the tower. Dimitri at the least had noticed how perfectly manicured and symmetrical Yuri's fingernails were. They were also oddly triangular at the tip, almost like they were filed into claws, something that made him wonder about the other Blood Demon.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is the difference between you and the Professor? I haven't seen much of your… abilities."

The flamboyant demon looked to Dimitri, raising one of his brows, glancing to Dedue, who remained ever silent at Dimitri's side. Ashe took up the rear of the group, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. He'd managed to keep his hunger in check, especially with the necklace he now wore. However, his desire to start changing the physical form of other things was nagging at him, and he was resisting due to inexperience.

"The 'clan', I guess you could call it, of Blood Demons that I descend from are called Artists. We're simply purveyors of beauty that have the ability to manipulate others. It's a kind of… magickal seduction, almost. Our weakness, not that I should tell you, lies in our inability to ignore said beauty. If someone or something looks good enough, I'll be unable to focus or fight." he said, Dimitri listening to his ramblings intently.

As someone who had been fed from by one of the demons, he was rather wary of them. He knew that Cetanu and Ashe were on his side, friends of his. This flamboyant, underground demon and his allies were a whole nother story. He wasn't sure they could be trusted, at least not without knowing more about the inhuman species as a whole.

"Unlike Artists, the group that your friend and teacher come from are called Fleshcrafters, and I'm sure they're the only ones for now. Their weakness, which I'll tell you gladly, is their instability. Because they spend eternity changing the physical forms of everything, including themselves, they require an anchor made from something from their homeland to keep them stable. That or they have to sleep with dirt from their homeland." he mused, more to himself.

"Which is why I pay close attention. I know that his anchor is his necklace." he said, Ashe snapping out of his trance when he realized that he was the subject of the conversation.

"Why do you need to pay attention?" Ashe asked, tilting his head slightly. It was an odd question, and the other demon chose to ignore it before turning back to Dimitri.

"Cetanu's is the knife he carries. I have no idea what he can do without it, but I promise you that nobody needs to find out. I can't take him in a fight, magick or no." he mused, and Ashe placed a hand on Yuri's shoulder.

"Answer me."

Dimitri blinked, finding Ashe's insistence out of character. It was something he'd grown accustomed to with Cetanu, whose demeanor and facade shifted constantly between an emotionless teacher to a confident warrior.

Yuri looked to Ashe's hand, frowning before shrugging it off. "Because I need to know what your anchors are. Whether it's to destroy them so you go insane or to protect them so you _don't_ go insane is for me to know, and you to find out." he said, his brow furrowing as Ashe inhaled.

There was an odd tension between the two of them, and Dimitri wondered if it was the same as when people judge others for the way they look or their lot in life, like a beggar and a lordling not getting along. Whichever it was, he didn't want to get involved, picking up his pace slightly as Dedue fell in line with him.

"Your Highness, I can hear enemies up ahead. Shall we take precaution?" Dedue inquired, and Dimitri hummed, looking to the two tense demons, who stopped staring at each other long enough to listen to Dedue's words.

"I'm not done with you." Ashe said, pulling his bow from his back and moving ahead of the Prince and his stalwart guard. He was incredibly agitated by something, and he figured that firing a few arrows would at least distract him.

As they neared the highest point of the tower, Cetanu glanced downwards. He had taken notice of the shift in Ashe's mood. He could tell the boy was aggravated right now, and he wondered if his anchor wasn't strong enough, or made with the right spells and processes. He hadn't learned everything about his 'clan', but he was fully aware that Fleshcrafters are incredibly unusual, if his own experiences are anything to go off of.

He shifted his gaze ahead, noticing that they were close to the top. He wondered what would be waiting for them at the top of the tower, as he'd never met Miklan. He could sense the tension in all of Sylvain's muscles as he walked, and it was something he struggled to relate to. He had never had a situation like this happen to him, his wartorn past making him unable to understand a hesitance to fight.

Entering the tower's highest point, Cetanu could see clearly that the missing numbers of the men were here, surrounding an archway that led to an open, empty room with a lone figure standing in it. The demon's eyes scanned the men, that numbered fifteen, and he realized that they weren't worth Sylvain's time. His student needed to confront his brother. It was essential for his growth.

"Let him pass. I'll take you all on myself." Cetanu said, the thieves and bandits looking amongst each other as if stupified by the statement. Cetanu looked to Sylvain, who was armed with only a lance and his remaining magickal ability. He wondered if it would be enough to defeat his brother, and if he'd hesitate to strike him down. He was very, _very_ curious.

Sylvain moved to walk through the archway, and one of the bandits stepped forward to stop him. Cetanu was between them in an instant, his stance rigid and straight. It was an odd form, once that looked like it was made for explosive movement, and it gave the bandit pause as Sylvain walked pass them all.

The bandit looked Cetanu in the eyes, gritting his teeth as sweat ran down his brow. He swung his right fist at the demon, who simply stepped back. A left followed, and Cetanu brought up his left hand, slapping his opponent's hand down and jabbing him in the throat with a backfist. He stumbled, and the demon took a step forward to follow up.

The demon's attention shifted for a fraction of a second, his eyes glancing behind him as he weaved his head to the left, an arrow flying past his face and striking the bandit in the eye, dropping him immediately. Cetanu inhaled, hearing pair after pair of footsteps come up behind him, his students making it to the top of the tower in much better time than he anticipated.

The bandits all drew their weapons, taking a tighter formation at the sight of the larger group, who they still outnumbered slightly. However, with the ebon mercenary at the head of the group, and the aged, experienced Fortress Knight at the rear, they were a bit worried that their numbers didn't matter.

When Sylvain entered the room, he saw exactly what he expected. His brother stood in the center of the open area, wearing armor and proudly brandishing the Lance of Ruin, his scarred face not distracting from the hateful glare that he sent his younger brother.

"You showed up alone and without any armor on? You Crestbearers are always so full of yourselves."

Sylvain frowned. He disliked the social hierarchy's focus on Crests either, as it was more of a curse than a blessing to the redhead. Women faking an interest in him to bear 'Crest babies', people keeling over before him because they knew he came from a House with a Crest, and so on. He hated it, truth be told, and he especially hated that his father put so much more focus on Crests, to the point where he disowned his first born for not having one.

He understood that whoever held the title of Margrave Gautier had to be a strong warrior, and every Margrave bore the Crest of Gautier for the purpose of brandishing the Lance of Ruin as an intimidation tactic against the savage, war loving northerners in the northern country of Sreng. But that didn't change the fact that Miklan was always a better fighter, more interested in the politics of the world. He was perfect for the title, but Sylvain was burdened with the responsibility because he inherited one trait his brother didn't.

However, the young womanizer was fully aware that none of that excused Miklan's actions. Despite Sylvain sympathizing with his brother, he was fully aware that stealing a Hero's Relic, injuring his own people and capturing and holing up in a tower in Fraldarius territory was wrong. He inhaled, realizing that this would be one of the biggest moments of his life. This was the kind of thing bards sung about and scribes wrote down as fantastical tales.

He leveled his gaze on his brother, unable to offer him a smile. He realized that he had to offer his brother a sad ultimatum, because if he didn't surrender, he would die here today. Sylvain only wanted his brother to survive. Even if he was in prison, he could use his status to bargain for his brother's freedom at the least. He needed to get through to him.

"I didn't come to fight you, Miklan. You need to give the lance back and surrender. I'm sure that we can work something out if we just talk." he said, trying to reason with his brother.

All it did was anger him.

"You think you can come at me damn near unarmed and get me to give up!? I don't give a shit if we are brothers, our Father made it very clear how much I meant to him and to all of our people!" he shouted, his anger rising to the surface as his grip on the glowing, bony lance grew tighter.

"You think you can get me to quit and give up and then try and _help_ me out of pity!? You think that you're so far above me because you got a damn magickal tattoo that shows up one in a blue moon while fighting!? I'm sick of hearing you damn snobs talk about Crests this, and Crests that!" he screamed, his voice almost cracking from it's sheer volume and emotion.

"Fuck Crests, Fuck Gautier territory, Fuck the Margrave, Fuck the Church and Fuck you! Either pick up that lance and fight me like a man or run away and bring our father here so I can kill him myself!" he shouted, and Sylvain blanched at the anger oozing from his brother.

He could see that their father's rejection, excessive and brought on by silly menial malarkey, had wrecked his brother's mind. He even wanted to kill his own father. _Their_ father. Sylvain understood that he wasn't the same person anymore. Be it the scar on his face, or the words from his mouth, he couldn't see the brother that helped him learn to wield a lance, to ride a horse. All he saw was a thieving bandit chief standing atop a tower with something that belonged to his family.

Sylvain inhaled, gripping the lance in his hand tightly as he shifted his stance, holding the weapon in both hands as he watched his brother's enraged frown shift into an insane grin. Sylvain was nervous, worried about if he'd be able to be victorious even.

"Relax."

He snapped out of his trance when he heard Cetanu's voice. The demon had entered the room, stalking through the shadows towards a corner. He was simply observing. He was watching, waiting and studying. However, he paid no heed to his band's target, only to his student. He was focused on his Growth.

Sylvain had to Grow through this battle so that he could Evolve as both a man and a warrior. He had to understand that his father's actions were wrong, and he had to Grow to be strong enough to rectify those mistakes. By Evolving himself, he could bring about a change to all of Gautier territory. Starting with the lord of the land, the whole region would undergo Metamorphosis.


	32. Job 36:12

Cetanu watched closely as Sylvain made the first move, charging forward at his brother without any hesitation, jabbing his lance out as it slid in his grip, it's range increasing as the momentum carried it forward. Miklan brought up a heavy metal shield, blocking the tip of the lance.

Sylvain pulled back, a quick glance telling him that his lance took more damage than the shield. This made fighting his brother far more difficult, as a body covered in armor and a shield, not to mention a Hero's Relic and his brother's superior size all made for a difficult opponent. Even with superior agility and magickal ability, Sylvain was wondering how he'd come out on top in this battle.

His brother seemed to wait for him, his armor and shield making him a wall that had no need to take the offensive. Cetanu narrowed his eyes, wondering if that was infact the case. Could it be that with the heavy armor and shield, that Miklan was limiting himself in return for greater defensive capability? What good was that?

Sylvain flipped the lance in his hand, catching it by the center of the staff in an underhanded grip, launching it like a missile at Miklan's head. He charged behind the flying weapon, hoping to at the least damage the shield.

Sylvain watched his brother bring up his shield to block the lance. Sylvain saw the metal tip bounce off the wall like shield, jumping to catch the weapon and pull back while his body was still in midair. He charged his arm with as much of his magickal energy as he could muster in a split second, hurling the lance again, this time directly at the shield.

The force of the throw made Sylvain float back a few feet, his feet hitting the ground as the lance struck Miklan's shield once again. This time, the magickally charged weapon slammed into the shield, cracking the metal and forcing Miklan back, his heels digging into the ground as he slid towards a wall.

"Is that the best you got you damn brat!?" Miklan shouted, casting his damaged shield away. Cetanu watched it crash to the ground and crack the stone, letting him know that the thing was incredibly heavy, and could likely double as a battering ram. He tilted his head, running scenarios through his head as Sylvain rose to his full height to meet his brother.

Thankfully, the force of the attack had saved his lance from too much more damage, the magick reinforcing the metal tip. The younger Gautier picked the weapon up, both brothers glaring at each other. Sylvain knew that he still held a few advantages, like speed and magickal prowess, but lacking in terms of strength and defensive ability, and stamina as well, would cause him problems if this fight lasted very long.

Miklan took his turn to go on the offensive, charging Sylvain with a battle cry that belied his hatred for his younger sibling. His movement wasn't very swift, weighted down by his heavy armor, something that confused Sylvain. His brother turning himself into some kind of armored knight was unusual, but he assumed that it was an intimidation tactic, one that worked well enough.

"Are you really gonna let them kill each other?" Yuri asked, approaching Cetanu as he watched them clash. The demon didn't take his eyes off of the fight for a second, watching the lances collide and bounce off of each other.

"Sylvain will not fall. Even if he isn't victorious, I will simply step in." he said, his tone flat and dead. Yuri picked up on this, wondering if this was something that was specific to Cetanu, or if all Fleshcrafters turned into war machines in battle.

"Miklan is the only one left, and we're all here. Why not just rush him and take him out?" he asked, and Cetanu watched Sylvain take an armored boot to the chest before he looked to Yuri.

"I understand that battle is not your forte, but surely as an Artist you can appreciate the sight of two estranged siblings forced into a fight to the death as it rains around them." he said, and Yuri looked to the nearest window, and sure enough, the sky was grey and rain was pouring down.

"That's not what I'm talking about. There's a _reason_ that you chose to let them fight. We're merely guards, lumberjacks carrying a felled tree by hand. Why?" he asked, and Cetanu watched as Sylvain slammed his lance into Miklan's chest, denting the breastplate and making him cough.

"Because I am a teacher. It is my job to lead my students along my _Path_ until they find their own when they've grown and evolved." he said, and Yuri hummed. That made sense, and as he looked to Sylvain, who was going blow for blow with his brother, powered sheerly by adrenaline, he kind of understood.

He looked to the other demon. "What Path is that? Are they walking the Path of a Mercenary, or the Path of a student?" he asked, and Cetanu felt his lips tug downwards.

Sylvain kicked Miklan back, both brothers panting and worn from their battle. It was a glorious spectacle, one that Cetanu was _trying_ to focus on. But, for all of Yuri's skill, magickal power and good looks, he was clearly lacking in terms of intelligence. And not wit, intelligence.

"Neither. I am a Fleshcrafter that is a teacher. The Path I walk for myself, that I lead others on until they find their own, is the Path of Metamorphosis. Everything grows, evolves, changes. It's my job to make sure that those changes are for the better. Now shut up and turn your pretty little gaze back to the fight." he said, a slight hint of venom in his voice.

"Why won't you stay down!?" Miklan shouted, tearing his breastplate off and casting it aside, shaking his legs free of his armor, which was heavily dented from the fight. Sylvain was leaning on his lance, wobbly and weak from the fight, but still fighting. Blood trailed from multiple wounds across his arms and legs, and he was sure that his uniform was soaked from wounds that he couldn't see or didn't want to look for.

"Because… I can't lose to you." he said, coughing and wheezing as Miklan's grip on the Lance of Ruin tightened.

"You think you're so much better than me! I'm going to shut that arrogant mouth of yours for good!" he shouted, charging forward with far more speed than before, the armor he shed liberating his body. Sylvain shifted his weight, trying to stand tall and meet his brother. He couldn't, and his mind drifted to a training session he had with Asmodeus. He hadn't learned too much from his tutor, but he learned one thing from the flamboyant warrior.

Sylvain shifted his remaining dregs of magickal power to his right leg, flexing the sore, bleeding muscles and gritting his teeth at the pain. He watched his brother closely, seeing him lift the lance overhead with both hands. He inhaled, praying to the Goddess that this worked.

Miklan came straight down, his anger clouding his ability to choose a harder to avoid attack. Sylvain kicked his charged leg to the left, the force making him slide away from the attack, the redhead twisting his body to whirl his leg back, his heel colliding with his brother's temple, forcing him to stumble.

Sylvain used the force of the impact to spin in a counter clockwise circle and bend his leg, leaning into the momentum and slamming his knee into Miklan's face, sending him crashing to the ground, blood spraying from his face as he fell back.

Sylvain let his foot hit the ground, his body completely wiped out. His vision went hazy, and he stumbled, shaking his head and looking to his brother. He could see that his brother was defeated, his body barely moving, his breathing shallow and spaced out. And yet, despite falling honorably in battle, he still gripped the Lance of Ruin with a desperate paranoia.

The Blue Lions had barely reached Sylvain to congratulate him on his victory when Miklan sat up, blood pouring from his nose and temple. He looked like hell, his mussed hair hanging over his face and blending in with the blood. He struggled to his feet, the group of students on edge as Miklan stood tall again.

"I'm not done yet!" he screamed, incensed by what everyone around him perceived as a loss. "I refuse to fall in some shitty tower! I will not die fighting my spoiled brat of a brother!" he screamed, and the Lance of Ruin seemed to respond to him.

The crest stone within the weapon flashed a bright color, the lance lighting up with an eerie reddish light before the stone flashed a black color for a split second. Magickal, almost wraith like tendrils spawned from the Crest Stone, wrapping around Miklan's arm. The disowned noble looked to them, confused for a split second. He reached for them, to try and pull them off as they spread up his arm and shoulder.

"What the fuck is this!?" he shouted, struggling against the tendrils as they continued to spread through his body and consume him. Sylvain's face belied a similar horror to his brother, who began to scream as he realized his struggles were pointless. He pulled and tore at the shadows, but they only wrapped around his body and began to swell, increasing in size as his screams were muffled out by the thick, almost visible miasma about his body.

Cetanu watched this with a morbid fascination. He was always curious about Hero's Relics, and seeing that _this_ was what they did to people without Crests was something he never could have expected. If this was what one stone could do to one man, imagine what more could do. The thought crossed his mind of an enemy force having a battalion of Crestless martyrs, and he wondered how he could counter that, War Ghouls crossing his mind briefly.

The shadows started to take shape as they finished swelling, huge black scales reflecting the rainy moonlight darkly, glowing red eyes peering down at them as the beast began to roar, saliva flying about through jagged, distended teeth. Spikes went all along the beast's tail and back, and it's form was lizardine, almost draconic minus the wings. It's head was enormous, and it sported horns and a huge jaw matched by a thick, powerful neck.

The beast was at least fifteen feet tall, and it seemed to have no sentience in the same sense that it's host would. Sylvain was quivering in shock and horror at the sight, the beast growling and salivating as it looked to them.

"Retreat."

The word barely left Cetanu's lips before the beast surged forth, the demon removing the dagger that anchored his inhuman instincts and tossing it to Yuri, the Artist surprised. He stopped to admire the beautiful weapon, Ashe gritting his teeth at how airheaded the other demon could be.

"You heard the Professor. Let us retreat." Gilbert said, his position at the rear of the group allowing him to have secured the exit in a worst case scenario, which he considered this to be. He watched Cetanu stop the beast, gripping it by two of it's hideous, monstrous teeth and pushing forward, his fangs heavy and lips open in a snarling smile.

The group started to file out, Felix and Annette assisting Sylvain as they retreated, the beast whirling it's head and slamming Cetanu into a wall, his grip not shifting as Gilbert once again took up the rear of the group, ensuring their safety.

Cetanu panted, blood covering his body as he looked to the beast, his right hand tingling as he reached for the Sword of the Creator. He barely drew the blade when the beast attacked, clawing up the stone of the floor and sending it at him like cannon fire, boulders slamming into his shoulders and knees and shattering his bones, which he was able to repair with his Fleshcrafting. He grit his teeth at the pain, and swung the blade with an angered vigor.

The blade detached, coming apart into rib like pieces as it extended like a whip, the tip piercing the hide of the beast. Cetanu growled, retracting the weapon as he ran forward, his form far more animalistic, his head down, arms spread, hands open. He caught the beast as it rebounded, gripping it's horn as he used his Fleshcrafting to vastly increase the size of the muscles and tendons in his shoulder and biceps, reinforcing the bones and adding a second joint in his tricep.

He roared, twisting his body and flipping the beast overhead, driving it to the ground, the floor caving beneath the mammoth body of the Black Beast. Cetanu snarled, shaking his head and growling as he leapt after the beast, Sword in hand as it crashed through floor after floor.

In midair, with his body still being pelted by debris and suspended blood from the falling beast, Cetanu slammed the Sword of the Creator into the beast's throat, twisting and pulling as he agitated, tore and butchered the wound, the beast striking the final floor as the Fiend pulled his blade free.

Cetanu panted, flicking the blood from his sword as he stared at the beast, whose form was starting to dissipate as it gave way for Miklan's lifeless body, the lance dull and lifeless next to his corpse. Cetanu growled, grabbing the Lance and looking at it. He spun it in his grip, pointing the blade to the sky as he knelt before Miklan's corpse, closing his eyes in a show of respect to the fallen warrior.

The ride back to the Monastery was very tense, Sylvain thrown off by the whole thing and Cetanu clearly focused on something else.

"Does something ail you, Professor?" Cetanu heard, snapping from his trance like thoughts to see Dedue of all people riding next to him. It wasn't often the Duscur native spoke to him, specifically without Dimitri present.

"That beast. If the same thing can happen to people who have no Crest and even a fragment of a Crest Stone, or a Hero's Relic is passed around between power hungry Crestless folk, there could be an entire army of these beasts at anyone's disposal." he said, and Dedue stared ahead, silently.

"Does this bring you a sense of fear?" he asked, and Cetanu glanced to him, absentmindedly reaching for the dagger on his waist to make sure he had it.

"It does. I would need to dedicate a great amount of time and resources into trying to counter them, or trying to teach people how to fight them. The amount of people lost in that time is unacceptable. I have to think of some better, efficient way to counter these monsters." he mused, and Dedue hummed.

"Would more Blood Demons be of use?" he asked, and Cetanu looked to him.

He wasn't the most scholarly person in the world, but he wasn't an idiot. He could see what Dedue was trying to say, and he didn't like it at all. It even brought a frown to his face, something that he noticed was becoming more common.

"I will not Embrace anyone else unless they are on Death's Door. We will adapt and overcome, Dedue. I will not let a few giant monsters cost my students their humanity. I would sooner turn myself into a draconic beast and fight every one of these beasts to the death for eternity."

Dedue didn't say anything in turn, and his pace slowed a little bit as he started to slow, returning to Dimitri's side. However, the demon swore he could see the slightest smile on Dedue's face, something that he wasn't honestly expecting.

He looked to the setting sun, realizing that he planned on riding into the night to make it to the Monastery as early as possible. He needed to think, and he needed to train to fight more of these monsters should they appear, teach his students how to adapt and overcome much like he was saying. But most importantly, with all of the energy he exerted fighting the beast and healing his many, many injuries, he needed to eat. His jaw rolled when he remembered that he hadn't fed from someone with the Crest of Cethleann yet.


	33. Chronicles 9:24

Returning to the Monastery, Cetanu ordered his students to split up, giving them time to rest and recuperate from the ordeal. The weather was still poor, and as much as it couldn't bother him, he knew that his students would suffer if they trained outdoors in the rain. The drizzle wasn't intense, and it broke in time for them to set out this morning, but with the light rain hanging over their destination, Cetanu hadn't planned on keeping his students out and about.

His mind was hazy, and he wasn't thinking about anything in particular. There was something annoying him about the mission, and he wondered exactly what it was. He looked to his right hand, where he carried the Lance of Ruin. His eyes then traveled to his left hip, where he still held the Sword of the Creator. Perhaps it was having two Hero's Relics on his person, one he didn't have a matching Crest for.

As he walked up the stairs to the second floor of the Monastery, he briefly wondered if Ashe could make use of both weapons giving that he'd fed from both him and Sylvain. It was a curious thought, and he realized in that moment that everyone he'd fed from that had a Crest also had a Hero's Relic for their House. Cetanu's lips tilted upwards slightly at the thought of how strong his progeny could be with all of those powerful, holy weapons.

The Blue Lions found themselves exhausted from the mission for the most part. Between the long ride to and from Fraldarius territory to the actual fight itself, they were sore and worn down. All they wanted was a warm bath and clothes that _weren't_ designed for combat. They hadn't split up yet, Yuri the only one who slipped away.

"There you are, Dimitri."

The whole group turned to the sound of the voice. It was unmistakable and unpleasant to the ears, belonging to someone they weren't big fans of.

The prince frowned, his battle worn frame desiring rest and comfortable clothing. He was also hungry, and unlike his teacher, he couldn't subside on nothing if he so chose.

"It's good to see you too, Edelgard."

The Prince's frown wasn't directed solely at the Princess, the future king disliking her steward, and the fact that she had Ingrid flanking her, wearing the Black Eagles uniform. It was a blatant mockery, showing off the sole turncoat student from any of the three classes.

"Hubert tells me that the documentation pertaining to your engagement to Bernadetta was naught but a poor forgery. Her father knew nothing about the proposal either." she said, narrowing her eyes.

The Prince found his frown deepening into a scowl, his brow furrowing and his weariness making him irritable. "Her father abused her to the point that her mother had to kidnap her and sneak her away to this school. Surely you don't take his word at face value, it'd be unbecoming of a future Emperor." he said, and she narrowed her eyes.

"So exactly what was the idea behind faking a betrothal to one of my land's nobles? To distract me? To mask some other political move you're making? What is it?"

Dimitri had no idea what to say to her that wouldn't have some kind of negative effect on something. He inhaled, trying to clear his mind of a little of the fatigue, realizing that Edelgard's lack of empathy was always one of her most dangerous traits. He hated it.

"There is no deceit to be found. If I wanted to make a political move, I would do so blatantly. I have no desire or need to tiptoe around you. You don't scare me and you surely don't pose a threat to my position in Faerghus." he said, his classmates blinking at how bold the statement was.

Even Edelgard seemed to hesitate at the statement, her mouth opening but no words coming out. She hated to admit it, but Dimitri had a point. Scheming, politics, none of it was Dimitri's forte. She was struggling to think of something to say, just for a chance to have the last word.

However, she failed. The wind blew intensely as the rain let up, her gaze shifting to the sky to see a small group of Wyvern Riders descending on the Monastery. All of the wyvern were large, arguably oversized even for males. They all wore an odd crest on their harnesses, and two of the five men carried banners with the same odd House Crest on them, one that Edelgard wasn't familiar with.

The leader of the riders dismounted, scanning the group of students and settling his gaze on Ashe. "Lord Formorian, we hate to be a bother, but we need you to accompany us." he said, and Ashe tilted his head.

"What is it you need that Samyaza can't deal with?" he asked, and the rider cleared his throat, seemingly oddly nervous in the presence of his lord. "There is a foreign diplomat of sorts at Castle Formorian, and he wishes to speak to the actual Lord. He says that he wishes to deal with the successor to Lonato specifically." he explained, hoping that bringing up the former Lord Gaspard wouldn't upset the lordling.

His green eyes hovered over the wyvern and their riders for a second before he turned to his classmates. "Can you let the Professor know that I'll be back as soon as I can? It shouldn't take me too long." he said, and his pale green gaze shifted to Edelgard, their eyes locking very briefly.

The Princess could tell that there was something very different about him. His recovery was impossible, but his growth was even more curious. He was meek, weak and pitiful even. Yet now, he was confident, and as he climbed onto the oversized wyvern, Edelgard understood that he was a strong Lord of his land, a land he earned by taking his predecessor's life in combat.

As the wyvern took off with Ashe, Dimitri grit his teeth. He couldn't stand to be around Edelgard or Ingrid for another second. He was oddly irritable right now, and he stormed off to finally rid himself of his sweat covered, battle damaged clothing.

The two pairs of eyes simply stared into each other, unable to even blink. Cetanu knew that this would happen, but the Archbishop was still infuriated. Here he stood again, a physical embodiment of her failures, and yet she couldn't do anything about it because he was just too strong for her to deal with.

She broke the eye contact, her eyes traveling to the Hero's Relic in his grip, a sign that he completed the mission successfully. She wondered how to approach the conversation with him, Seteth oddly absent from the briefing.

"Our mission was a success, Your Grace." he said, bowing before her again as she felt her fingers twitch. She offered him a weak smile, holding a hand out towards him.

"You needn't bow, Professor. It's good that you were able to return with no injury or casualty." she said, and Cetanu nodded respectfully.

He held out the Lance of Ruin, almost daring her to pry it from his grip. "Since we completed the mission with minimal difficulties, I trust that you'll honor your end of our agreement and add the Ashen Wolves to my class?" he asked, and Rhea grit her teeth, not liking the sound of that. She relented however, realizing that the last thing she could do in her position as the Archbishop was lie or go back on her word.

She nodded with that same weak smile, something that Cetanu picked up. He didn't like the sight, as he wanted her smile to be genuine like it used to be. The Archbishop was incredibly beautiful, and to see her feigning smiles and hesitating around him was enraging.

"I will. As for the Lance of Ruin, I believe you should keep it in your possession and teach the Gautier boy how to use it so this situation doesn't happen again." she said, and Cetanu nodded, realizing that she was trying to rid herself of him as fast as she could. He, however, had another question for her.

"Your Grace, if I may ask, were you aware that Miklan would turn into a hideous beast because he was Crestless?"

Rhea's brow furrowed slightly at the question, telling Cetanu almost everything he needed to know. "I could not be sure that he would suffer that fate, but that he did is most regrettable. However, I hope that you and your students take this as a lesson. The Hero's Relics and their Crest Stones can not fall into the hands of those without the right Crest, or the Black Beasts could run rampant."

He nodded, bowing to her again as she dismissed him, his gaze lingering on her for a second before he left, his eyes looking to the Lance. He wondered which of his other students had Hero's Relics to their Houses, and how these Relics could be put into practice given the seemingly supernatural powers they had.

As the wyvern descended on Castle Formorian with the setting of the sun, Ashe wondered exactly what could be so important that the Demon Lord of Sloth would need him present personally. It was a curious subject, because none of the riders that served as his escort would say anything. Bar the leader that he shared a wyvern with, thy kept their heads down.

Another thing that Ashe noticed was that all of the Wyvern Riders had a unique emblem on the backs of their armor, of a purple lance with a black shaft. The leader however, had an image of a dragon's head on his back, the Crest of Chevalier behind the dragon almost like a halo of light. He wondered if it was a symbol of rank or status, something that showed how close he was to the Wyvern Lord.

"What is the symbol on your back?" he asked, the man looking to the lordling as he led him through the castle to Samyaza. His green eyes showed a sense of hesitation, but he still cleared his throat and exhaled.

"Tis a symbol of rank. I am a Captain amongst the Grigoi. There are three Captains and nine Lieutenants below us. The lances symbolize our foot soldiers, and the Lieutenants wear the dragon. Only us three Captains wear the Crest on our backs, Milord."

Ashe nodded, tilting his head ever so slightly. He liked the sound of that structure. It was simple and to the point, and it allowed for little conflict, as with an odd number of leaders, there would be no split decisions. And he knew that above the Three Captains was Samyaza himself, the leader of the group he named 'Grigoi.'.

"What is your name? If you choose to remain with me after I take my throne, I would appreciate if you stayed." he said, wondering if the move would upset Samyaza in any way. He doubted it, as the man was known to his homeland as the 'Prince of the Flame of Lethargy', belying his laziness or lack of visible action.

The man looked to his Lord again, pushing the door to the throne room open and holding it for the former street urchin. "My name is Samedi Guedhe, Captain of the Grigoi's Vodun division."

Ashe looked to the throne room, noticing that Samyaza wasn't sitting on it, something that Ashe was grateful. The interim Lord was leaning against his dragon, who seemed incredibly relaxed. The demon scanned the room, noticing a few pedestals with things that he assumed were prized possessions of Samyaza's. There were a few more pedestals than Ashe thought necessary, but he understood where the mercenary was coming from.

He noticed a pedestal with a lance propped up on it, much akin to the one on the back of his Grigoi. Masks or armors from various noteworthy foes he'd defeated, and closest to the throne was an odd ornament, one that caught his attention. It was black, and rounded, and had an interesting series of cracks throughout it. It almost looked like an egg of sorts, painted and dolled up to suit a kingdom powered by Wyvern Riders.

"Glad you could make it. Made sure the big chair was nice and warm for ya." he said, motioning to the throne lazily. Ashe walked over to the chair, an unimpressive dolled up seat with the symbol of House Gaspard still on it. He inhaled, realizing that he'd never once sat in Lonato's seat, his primary place of power. He turned around and exhaled, lowering himself into the chair almost gingerly.

When he did, he felt an incredible rush of adrenaline. The feeling of sitting front and center in a large room, everyone looking at you and waiting on your word, or your actions was incredible. He liked the feeling, and he wondered if this was what he was summoned here for.

"Why did you call me here?" he asked, Samyaza looking from him to the door, his eyes scanning the room as Azazel shifted positions but remained completely calm, as if asleep with his eyes open.

"There's someone that wants to talk to you. I sent Sam to get you, while my other Captains, Bestla and Rathalos, escorted your guest here. They should be back any minute now." he said, and Ashe nodded, looking to the doors to the throne room. He waited the seconds and minutes by patiently, his eyes scanning the room, moving to Samyaza's pedestals.

"Why prop up this lance?" he asked, and the Demon Lord of Sloth looked to him. He scratched his head, his half lidded eyes matching the lazy chuckle that escaped his thin lips. "Well, it's actually the lance that my ancestor wielded. Believe it or not, that thing is ages old, and was used by Valter the Moonstone." he mused, seeming proud of the object being in his possession.

He could understand that. If he had some famous ancestor, he would most certainly display any of their belongings front and center. However, his eyes shifted to the odd round ornament, and he was soon staring at it.

"Looking at the egg, huh?" he asked, and Ashe blinked, snapping from his trance to look to Samyaza. "Egg?"

"Yeah, I've had it since I was a kid. My father gave it to me and told me to take care of it. Apparently it's a damaged dragon egg from a long ass time ago, even before Valter and his lot. Never hatched because it's cracked. Much as I want to believe it will, I'm sure it's just a decoration at this point." he said, and Ashe hummed absentmindedly, his eyes locked on the black egg.

His trance was broken by the opening of the throne room doors. He straightened his posture, his inhuman status not masking his appearance as a short young man with soft freckled skin and bright colored eyes. The first two people he saw wore the same uniform as Samedi, and he assumed they were the other Captains.

There was a man and a woman, the man wearing some kind of red painted armor that matched his bushy blonde and orange hair, a huge sword strapped to his back. His female counterpart wore similar armor, and her hair was white, her shimmering golden eyes giving her an inhuman appearance that matched the odd, jagged bladed axe she had on her back. When stood next to Samedi, who was the tallest with long, dreadlocked hair and dark brown skin, they looked like a more intimidating group than their leader and Lord.

However, it was the people with them that kept his attention. They looked odd, having skin ranging from pale to brown, covered in colored markings, mostly blue. The females were normally lighter in skin tone, their hair also lighter, one of the few females even having snow white hair and blue eyes. The males all had darker hair and eyes, but they all had another feature that interested him.

They all had horns.

The leader of the group, as evidenced by his unique appearance of browned skin, golden hair about his shoulders and back and golden markings across his skin, had large black horns sticking from his head that curved down towards his face slightly. He carried himself with a great confidence, his immensely broad chest and shoulders appearing like a wall.

They were also an oddly stocky folk, and Ashe could swear that even their leader was the same height as he was oddly enough. The leader nodded his head.

"It's good to see that Lonato's successor is one who can keep their composure." he said, his baritone voice carrying across the room and bouncing off the walls.

Ashe nodded, the group of odd, horned people approaching. Ashe's eyes narrowed slightly. Were they dwarves, or were they some other kind of creature that he wasn't aware existed? Could they simply be humans adapted to the Oghma Mountains or were they a clan of short Fleshcrafters that all create horns for themselves?

"He never spoke of a foreign people's such as you. I am Ashe Ubert, Lonato's son and successor." he said, rising from the throne and walking to greet the foreign leader. Surely enough, the wall like man was only Ashe's own height, his braided beard nearly the length of Ashe's arm.

"Understandably so, we asked him to keep silent. We are allies of his, and we merely wished to see who was in charge of the land that bordered ours." he mused, and Ashe nodded. He remained stalwart in front of the imposing man, but he could barely contain his curiosity.

"Forgive me for asking, but who and _what_ are you?" he asked, trying to keep the childlike curiosity from his voice. He noticed that he failed, and the man chuckled heartily.

"I am the Jarl of the Oghma Mountains, Gauldrikk the Golden. We are called the 'Dokkr', horned dwarves descended from the Grim Dragon Bladdiyd." he said, and Ashe blinked.

Horned dwarves descended from a dragon? Exactly how did that work? And more importantly, he was insinuating that there were other dwarves that _aren't_ horned. Ashe however, nodded and hummed.

"Tell me Gauldrikk, does your territory stretch all of the Oghma Mountains?" he asked, and the Jarl began to laugh, a hearty sound.

"Most of it at least. The eastern half, on the border of the Alliance, is home to the Rokkr, dwarves under the command of my cousin, Jarl Thorrik the Furnace. Of course, I normally do the talking for him as well, which is why I call myself the Jarl of the entire range." he explained, and Ashe nodded.

"And you came here today to see if I was up to snuff?" he asked, and the man nodded in return, his horn unmoving while his hair bounced.

"Of course. I am fully aware that you are, but I was simply coming to let you know that as long as you leave our mountains to us, than we'd be happy allies of yours." he said, and Ashe nodded. He pondered it for a brief second, wondering what he'd need allies for.

Then, his mind flashed to the instant before he departed the Monastery, realizing that the last person he locked eyes with before arriving was Edelgard, the next Emperor. And, seeing as how Gauldrikk's territory bordered Edelgard's lands, he could now see exactly why the Jarl wanted to extend the olive branch. He anticipated Edelgard's desire for power to grow much like Ashe did himself. He held his hand out, a smile across his features.

"We'd be happy to have you, Jarl Gauldrikk. Castle Formorian is always open to you and your people. We're honored to have you here."

Samyaza watched silently from the corner of the room, but he narrowed his eyes soon after they shook hands. It was unusual how quickly Ashe was gaining military power, but thankfully, that power was his for the time being. He just prayed that the fledgling demon was at the least half as sensible as his sire.


	34. Psalm 99:1

Cetanu spent the rest of the night wondering exactly what his progeny was up to, curious as to how Samyaza wouldn't be able to handle something without Ashe's presence. It must have had to do with a foreign diplomat or some inhuman force.

This led him to think about Ashe's actual Fleshcrafting abilities. He'd never seen his progeny take part in the arcane art that seemed to be exclusive to their clan of Blood Demons. It made him wonder if the art could be passed down, or if it's effectiveness could dwindle through the generations. Would Ashe's progeny be weaker and weaker as they multiplied? Would his own? It was a very curious thing.

These thoughts kept him awake, musing to himself as he continued to train his body absentmindedly, finding a newfound desire to keep himself in top shape. After all, what use would a lazy teacher be to anyone, especially a future king?

The first person to join him at the training grounds at the crack of dawn was, oddly enough, Victor. The Blood Demon didn't often see much of his creation, who found it hard to communicate with Cetanu as well. After all, what _do_ you say to someone that transforms you from a small animal to a large, powerful human? Do you even thank them?

"Is something bothering you Victor?" he asked, noticing that the first few minutes the War Ghoul spent in his presence, all he did was simply stare. He watched the man shake his head, an odd motion accompanied by him sticking his neck forward, the action making Cetanu think of an animal trying to shake it's fur dry.

"I'm not sure. I don't know about you, but I'm _reall__y_ not liking this Edelgarde girl." he stated, and Cetanu glanced to him. He could agree with the sentiment, but he didn't feel as strongly about the pigheaded young woman as his War Ghoul seemed to.

"What's bringing this on? Do you consider her a threat to any of the students?" he asked. He spent most of his time focused on other things, so Edelgarde's machinations had been something of a mystery to him, something he assumed would happen. Before, he considered her an obstacle to him, but between his awakening and his decision to focus on the Growth of his students, he realized that he didn't care about the girl unless she was a problem to one of them.

"When the brats told you that Ashe was gone, did they tell you that Edelgarde found out that the engagement was feigned? She confronted Dimitri about it and I heard he got pretty heated." he mused, and Cetanu tilted his head.

He wondered why that tidbit of information was left out when Dedue relayed the information to him. He shook his limbs slightly, loosening them up as the tension from his training dissipated, the demon realizing that he hadn't broken a sweat yet, something he found much harder to do recently. He looked to Victor, curious about something.

"What do you should be done about it?"

Victor looked to him, blinking as his pupils shifted in size, becoming narrower and more cat like. It was an odd question to pose to him, but it wasn't like he hadn't thought about it.

"Well, I get that we can't just kill her. Although, I'm a tiny bit worried about the girl Dimitri was playing with. She's not like the other Adrestians and she certainly isn't a threat to anyone. If anything, her knowing what you and Ashe are is more of a threat to herself than anyone else." he mused, and Cetanu nodded in agreement. He was glad that the process of morphing Victor into what he is now didn't diminish the clever intellect that most felines had.

"I agree with you. So, what would you do about this?" he asked, and Victor hummed, scratching his head and pawing at the back of his ears as he pondered it. Cetanu himself was also curious, as part of him acknowledged that even the cat turned man was capable of Growth.

"Well, I'd either get her out of the Eagles or find a way to make Edelgarde back off. If not a _real_ political marriage, then something else. Like one of those underground fellas bein' her bodyguard." he mused, and Cetanu chuckled. He was glad that Victor wasn't just a heaping mass of muscle, as he thought the exact same thing. He wondered if he could truly trust the Ashen Wolves, and he figured that this would be a perfect way to figure it out.

"You want one of us to do what?"

Cetanu glanced to Balthus, wondering if he wasn't clear enough with his proposition.

"I would like one of you to watch over Bernadetta Von Varley and protect her from Edelgarde and her stooge."

The Wolves looked amongst each other, and Yuri's brow was the first one to rise.

"And why, exactly, should we do that? She's an Adrestian too."

The Fleshcrafter looked to the Artist, the two of them locking eyes for a brief moment before Cetanu sighed. "Because she is an asset to me, and a liability to herself. With the fact that she is _aware_ of what Blood Demons are, Edelgarde will continue to antagonize her until she folds."

He inhaled, glancing over the group one more time. "And I'm sure that the last thing you want is all of Adrestia to know that we exist. If Edelgarde were to figure out a way to supplement her forces with Blood Demons, Revenants, or any other kind of inhuman or beyond human thrall, this country would be wartorn within the year. I know that war with Edelgarde is inevitable, but I would pray that I could hold it off until I think my students are ready for her."

The four of them sat for a moment, processing the information that washed over them, feeling the weight of Cetanu's words. They understood that this was a ridiculous task, but with there even being a _possibility_ of Edelgarde starting a Fodlan wide civil war with Blood Demons at her back and call, they knew it was necessary.

"I would have no qualms rising to meet this request."

Cetanu's eyes stared forward at nothing in particular for a moment, not wanting to hear Constance's voice agree to his proposal. He turned to the former Adrestian noble, his brow ever so slightly furrowed in hesitation.

"You do understand that in order to complete this task, to aid me in preventing an unwinnable civil war, that you will have to oppose the next Emperor, directly to her face?" he asked, wondering where her loyalties lied. If his question made her back down, he'd know that she was too far gone to reason with.

Instead, her haughty voice and posture were only emboldened by his question, and she lifted her nose slightly as she squared her shoulders.

"I, Constance of House Nuvelle, will gladly rise to the challenge! For if the Emperor of Adrestia sees my stalwart determination, she will have no choice but to restore House Nuvelle to it's former glory." she said, and Cetanu looked to her.

He wasn't an idiot, and he understood that while she was a member of the 'Moon', a clan of Blood Demons known for their inherent lack of sanity, her words weren't some delusion or vague prophecy. She was willing to listen to him because she hoped that Edelgarde would grant her entire House it's noble Adrestian status back. If she did, Cetanu was sure that she'd turn on them all. He knew that he would anticipate the day, but he had no idea that the Madwoman was so determined to make that day as soon as possible.

If there was one thing that the trio called the Barons of Heaven weren't expecting, it was that the Lord of the land they were inhabiting would be so incredibly interested in them. Be it their skills, their appearances, or even their ability to tolerate Samyaza, something about each of them fascinated the young Lord Formorian.

Which is why all three of them were tasked with the job of dropping their Lord back off at the Monastery. It was rather odd to them, but each of them felt a sense of gratitude, not used to being so appreciated.

"You really seem more into us than our actual boss." Bestla had said, and Ashe's pale green eyes looked to her, a smile across his features.

"I like the idea of all of my allies standing out from one another. You three all look very interesting, and the weapons you carry are pretty unique too."

The Queen of Storms, Baron Bestla Kirinmir of the Norn division, chuckled. Her axe had an oddly jagged blade and appearance due to the fact that it was made from the bones of an Oghma Wolverine, something that she hunted with her father when she was a child. The armor she wore that complimented her snow white hair and golden eyes was also made from the Wolverine, which was an oddly pale color for it's species.

"I think you focus too much on appearance, and not on substance." Rathalos had said, agitated by the lack of focus on his battle prowess. He was a man of war, the idea of being complimented on his appearance and choice of weapon wasn't something that sat well with him.

Ashe looked to him, finding his agitation incredibly misplaced. "I'm very sure that you're all very accomplished warriors. I can be rather certain that Captain Jeralt or Samyaza wouldn't hand out a rank like yours lightly." he mused, and the red haired warrior sighed.

The Dreadking, Baron Rathalos Goamagala of the Fatalis division, wasn't one to argue with people. Particularly those with higher social status that looked like they couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag. He let the comments about his appearance slide, because despite his volatile and combat hungry nature, the Dreadking had a sense of respect for the Lordling, who obtained his status through mortal combat with his own father.

"We appreciate your kindness M'Lord, but the praise is not necessary, we're merely doing our jobs." Samedi noted, inwardly sighing at the fact that he had to be the humble member of the trio. Both of his teammates were known to take compliments the wrong way. Bestla had a habit of desiring _more_ praise, while praise only agitated Rathalos and made him want to fight someone. It was up to him to be the one to say thank you and smile.

Ashe looked to him, smiling still as they breezed through the beautiful skies of Fodlan.

"You don't need to be so humble. Your weapon interests me the most since we're both archers." he mused, and Samedi glanced to his weapon.

The Cemetery of the Sky, Baron Samedi Guedhe of the Vodun division, couldn't disagree with the statement. He earned his theatric epithet because of his incredible accuracy, the men he grew up fighting with saying that his arrows were like flying tombstones because whenever he fired, someone on the other side of the field fell. And a large part of that accuracy was because of his bow.

Given to him by his mother, the weapon was called the 'Ogun' amongst his people, a tribe of hunters that lived in a swamp like bayou in southern Brigid. It was made from something that he couldn't identify, but he wagered it was made with the bones of some prehistoric animal that was abnormally large, as the bow was nearly double the length of his arm. It had an incredibly comfortable grip and was strung with an almost religious care, the string still exactly as taut and brand new as when he was first gifted the bow decades ago. He couldn't blame the Lordling, anyone who called themselves an Archer would be intrigued.

When they came upon the Monastery, Ashe noticed that there weren't many people about, making him wonder if he missed some important event or if his timing was poor. He glanced about the huge cathedral and the surrounding area, wondering exactly where he should land.

He wasn't sure why, but he was ever so slightly hungry, and not the kind of hungry that made those around him pop their collars. He looked to Samedi, his pale eyes brimming with a sense of power. "Land in the Market."

The dark skinned archer nodded, looking to the sprawling street that held the marketplace near the main entrance. The trio swooped around, their wyvern all crying out to each other in response to their riders' orders. The townsfolk and church staff walking the streets of the market could only move out of the way, surprised at the fact that three oversized wyvern were descending on them. They knew that the Knights of Seiros had Pegasus Knights, but Wyvern Riders?

When the three wyvern landed, Ashe smiled as he leapt from Samedi's wyvern, reaching out to stroke the draconic beast's jaw, thanking it for it's faithful service and hard work. He was joined by the Barons of Heaven, who all made a mental note to remain passive, as Ashe had a habit of slipping into an odd state of theatrics.

"You're cluttering the street with your paltry display."

Ashe tilted his head as he stared at Samedi's wyvern. He blinked, slowly turning to see Hubert standing and staring at him, the Princess in front of him as always, a few of the other Eagles with them. A smile spread across his face, and Bestla blinked, finding his aura rather different than before.

"You're quite the bootlicker, Hubert. Dragging your classmates out so that we can continue where we left off?" he asked, finding a great sense of amusement at Hubert's visible tension. While the younger Fiend greatly enjoyed taunting and provoking him, it was for entirely different reasons than his sire.

Ashe enjoyed being the Lord of Gaspard, and he'd make sure that everyone knew that he was no longer a crestless, human ruffian anymore.

"It doesn't pay to insult one of the noble houses of Adrestia. I am aware that your status is in it's first days, but surely you were taught that much."

He looked to Edelgarde, his smile fading as he stared at her. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he couldn't stand her. And it wasn't the kind of disdain you held for a crying child on a carriage or a loud passerby. It was more familiar than that, like the disdain between siblings. Why, exactly, did he feel that way?

"This little hussy is the next Emperor? Adrestia really is suffering." Bestla chuckled, and Edelgarde narrowed her eyes before looking back to Ashe.

"You had best tell your underling that she'd better watch her tongue."

"Or what?"

The Eagles all blinked at that. It wasn't often someone challenged Edelgarde, much less to her face with witnesses, no matter who they be. She narrowed her eyes, Hubert taking a step from her shadow to stand by her side.

Rathalos stamped forward, the burly armored man snarling like some kind of agitated dragon.

"Take one more step and I'll rip you into so many pieces even insects will balk at the sight of you."

Again, a blatant threat, this time a death threat from one of the Wyvern Riders.

"Calm down Rathalos."

The red haired man looked back to the dreadlocked archer, who stood with his eyes closed and arms folded.

"There is no honor in killing that which has no face, or that which already bears the flag of death upon itself."

He opened his eyes, looking to Hubert as he spoke. However, they noticed that what he was saying _wasn't_ a threat or a taunt. He made a statement, and that statement was that Hubert was already going to die.

Edelgarde pushed past Rathalos and Hubert and grabbed Ashe by the collar, frowning and furrowing her brow.

"Come the Battle of Eagle and Lion, I'm going to make it my mission to humiliate you in front of the world. You'll wish that poison killed you." she said, and Ashe could only smile.

His lips parted, as if he was going to speak, but he could only muster laughter. His inner Fiend found this incredibly amusing as well. She was boldly declaring that she'd defeat him, something that he didn't doubt she could do if she truly trained and tried. However, what really made the demon and his subconscious both laugh at her, was the fact that she was almost nose to nose with him, and that her neck was exposed.

"Ashe."

His laughter ceased at the sound of Cetanu's voice, Victor accompanying him as Edelgarde shoved him off. She turned away, moving to walk off when Cetanu looked to her.

"You recall what I said to you all those moons ago?"

She looked to Cetanu, narrowing her eyes before looking to Ashe. Her eyes passed back to the ebon mercenary, who smiled as he turned to his progeny. "I'm glad that you came back so quickly. Come, we have things to discuss."

As Samyaza walked the halls of Castle Formorian, he couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. Besides the fact that Ashe had taken a liking to his three best men and taken all of them with him for a mere dramatic entrance, there was something else that disturbed him.

It was the fact that the two Blood Demons were both incredibly unstable. He was fully aware that they weren't human, so that alone made them impossible to predict, but seeing even Cetanu flip through so many emotions and facades was incredibly odd to him. It was even worse with Ashe, as his emotions were fewer than Cetanu's.

Ashe had only shown varying levels of arrogance and anger, his brief fear and hesitation all abandoned the second he took Lonato's life. It was odd to him, but he'd read all the reports and talked to many people, and it seemed like Cetanu was trying to force people to evolve, pushing them to overcome shortcomings and fears. Samyaza shook his head at the thought of the mild mannered Ashe Ubert throwing a kick with enough force that it transformed him into the confident Lord Formorian.

He hesitated, his sharp ears picking up on an odd screeching sound. It was familiar to him, as it was much akin to screeches that you'd hear in a hatchery. The first mewling caws of a newborn Wyvern were unmistakable to the Demon Lord of Sloth. However, the sound shouldn't be coming from _inside_ the castle.

He followed the noise, his brow furrowing and his posture lowering as he continued closing in on the noise. His fighting style wasn't often seen, but it was very submission based, so whatever was making the noise had better pray it could slither out of his grip.

However, he noticed that he was in the throne room, the unimpressive chair snapping him from his focus, his eyes scanning the room before locking onto the pedestal that held the cracked egg that was passed down through his family.

It was gone, the shell of the egg scattered across both the pedestal and the floor. His eyes moved up and down, scanning the ground for the rest of the egg, his mind also wondering what happened to the egg, as he'd expect someone to try and _steal_ it, not shatter it.

He heard the noise again, and spun around only to freeze in place. It was about the size of a large dog, and with furled wings that remained close to it's body. It's neck was long and it's front legs were short. It was almost like a winged salamander if not for the powerful jawline it had despite it's visible infancy.

The creature reared up on it's hind legs and unfurled it's wings, letting out a screech like roar that Samyaza barely processed. He looked back to the egg, and then to the winged beast in front of him, his mind flashing to Ashe's odd fascination with the egg.

Samyaza held his hand out to the dragon, who bowed it's head and let the Wyvern Lord stroke it's skull. He inhaled, exhaling slowly as he realized that the younger Fleshcrafter's first time using the arcane art was incredibly effective.

"I bet you've been waiting over a thousand years to get out of that shell, huh?" he asked, and the dragon looked him in the eyes, throwing it's head back and roaring once more. The Demon Lord of Sloth could only chuckle, a sense of pride filling his being at being the one to finally, with help of course, hatch his family's dragon egg.


End file.
